Timing-318

[ROLANDM]

NEED SOME HELP FELLAS. REBUILT MY '82 318, VALVE JOB, SOME NEW VALVES AND SPRINGS, INSERTS, MAINS AND YOU KNOW LIKE THAT. WAS INTERESTED IN A MILD RV CAM, THE COUNTER MAN RECOMMENDED A CRANE RV CAM WHICH WOULD BE MILD LIKE I WANT. SO NOW I HAVE A QUESTION. I WENT TO TDC TO START THE ENGINE AND LET IT BREAK IN FOR 20, 30 MINS. EVERY THING IS FINE I'M PROUD OF MYSELF, THIS WAS MY FIRST REBUILD. WHAT'S THE TIMING???? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STOCK, SO I NEED HELP IN DETERMINING WHAT IS THE BEST TIMING FOR THIS SWEET LITTLE ENGINE.
THANKS IN ADVANCE,
ROLAND----FOMOPAR

[knurkl]

On my 318 it's 8 degrees BTC, with 1 Mopar performance light spring in the distributor, and 1 original spring. Right now I'm still experimenting with vacuum advance, and maybe I'll try 6 instead of 8 degrees. Mine runs a little warm in stop and go traffic, and at longer periods of idling.

This is a 318 with a Hughes HE0914 (208/215 at .050) For all other mods, have a look at myHomepage

[Ausydad]

Mine is a '68 318 with 360 heads and a .454 cam. Mine with the dist unplugged and capped, seems to really enjoy 10btdc.

[dl79]

Just rebuilt the 318 in my '79 pickup, replaced stock 2bbl. with 4bbl. Installed an orange box and light springs in the dist. Have been experimenting with the timing for best results. Seemed to perform best at 10* BTDC initial, but total advance seems to come too quick (don't have a tach but I would guess before 2000 RPM). Also, total advance was 40*. I thought that was probably too much, so I retarded it to 5* initial, 35* total. Now it doesn't perform as well, especially at lower RPM. I wonder if I try putting one of the stock springs back in that will keep the total advance down? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

[MoJoe]

dl79, if it likes 10 (or even more) initial, but only 35 (or even less) total, you'll have to limit the travel of the mechanical advance weights. Putting the heavy spring back in isn't going to lessen the amount of travel, it's just going to slow it down.

The slots in the weights can be filled in a little with solder, then file back out to the desired amount of travel. There are a couple of excellant posts in here that decribe it in more detail.

Good luck...Joe...

[dl79]

Thanks for that reply. It likes the 10/40 timing better. I just wondered if the 40 total is too much. It doesn't ping at all with that setting. Is it OK to run that much total advance?
Thanks again,

[jelsr]

dl79,
You didn't specify mech only or mech + vacuum. If it doesn't ping or heat or cause other problems, like bucking the starter, it must be ok.

[six pack]

For stock applications(not race cars, but street cars)
I always set timing to a total of 45º, usually this brings initial advance into the 8-12º range. Usually this is the best setting for mileage and power. Thats what has always worked for me at my 3000ft elevation

[5thAve]

With a stick distributor i was running it at 10-12 and total was in the high 40s. With the MP one I have to keep initial around 6 or else it'll start pinging as the speed increases. I haven't done much with the distributor yet and will probably try changing the springs to see what difference it makes.