what is standard timing on 352 fe

[SteveC]

Ok after all the rebuild and work done the teacher and I set the timing at 4 degrees btdc and the truck ran ok but some hesitation so came back and bumped to 8 degrees btdc.

Is that not far enough?? truck still seems like it should have more power ...

is 10 - 12 degrees better?? I put a stock cam back into the engine if that helps as far as info.

Cant really take it for another test drive yet sense the ground is covered in lots of snow ... and i dont have confidence to drive it yet in the snow with it being a manual and im not use to it.

other info is the carb is a ... Holly 600cfm 4 barrel with a manual choke

I looked around on here a bit and saw several people setting it at 10 so i was just wondering

Thanks Steve

[fordman]

the books say 6-8 but 10-12 works for most guys too.

[fireguywtc]

I was always told 8 btdc. But running a little more won't hurt.

[DuckRyder]

10-12 is popular.

Might I suggest an alternate method?

Pull the vacuum advance hose and plug it.

Raise the engine speed until the centrifugal advance is all in and set it to 36-38 and lock the distributor down.

Then you can see what your initial is for future reference, and of course reconnect the vacuum advance.

[DGrant09]

10-12 is popular.

Might I suggest an alternate method?

Pull the vacuum advance hose and plug it.

Raise the engine speed until the centrifugal advance is all in and set it to 36-38 and lock the distributor down.

Then you can see what your initial is for future reference, and of course reconnect the vacuum advance.

Thanks for the Q, we're going around the same tree.. I am not trying to hijack the thread here..

Would you suggest the same with a 390? I have fought the same hesitation and when pulling a trailer the engine feels like it is restricted and is easily slowed. I would think a 390 would pull a 5000 # trailer with out any issue.

[DuckRyder]

Would you suggest the same with a 390?

Yes I would.

[Dragon]

Street FEs in the old days when regular was almost todays premium could tolerate 42 total. Different dizzys have different centrifugal advances.

DuckRyder's alternate way is a good way to set total for race or street. If it drops down to 8 or 6 when it idles down then you could set 42 easy. My total now is 38 but my dizzy has a loose shaft so it needs rebuilt as it bounces at high rpm.

[SteveC]

thanks i appreciate the help... when all the snow around here melts and it gets a bit warmer ill take it out for a spin and see how it does.. at around 10

Other question is what difference does it make pluging the vacuum lines or not ??? and you plug on the carb and the dizzy??

thanks again for the help

[Dragon]

No just plug the carb end so you don't have a vacuum leak which could change the centrical timing by messing with the idle.

[fordman]

the reason you plug the vacuum is becuase it can advance the timing when your setting it.

[SteveC]

that makes sense to plug it then... if it wasnt cold enough to freeze the bark off of trees here id go out and set the timing again..... though i need a timing light for that

[Dragon]

You don't have to have a timing light for non dynamic timing.

1. Crank the engine and align the timing marks to where you want the base timing to be. Always turn the engine Counter clockwise this makes all the slack in the timing chain and dizzy gears take up in the direction the engine runs
2. Loosen the dizzy.
3. Take the coil wire and lay it on the valve cover.
4. Turn the ignition on.
5. Turn the dizzy Clockwise from the top real slowly.
6. If the wire does not spark turn counter clockwise. At least one coil terminal back.
7. Turn Clockwise again slowly If you have the cap off you can see that the points open and close they also spark.
8. At the instant that the coil sparks the engine timing is exactly at the timing mark.
9. Once you get a timing light you can check how good you got doing it this way.

[SteveC]

never heard of doing it that way... though i cant watch the points open and close since i dont have points anymore. I have several ideas to try out when it warms up here... thanks every one

[Dragon]

I have an Accel points eliminator though I don't get a points spark I do get a coil spark.

[willowbilly3]

I may be doing it wrong but I leave the vacuum hooked up and set the timing all in for total. If you disconnect the vacuum and set total then when the vac advance comes in you have more than the "total" you set it for.
I generally like to get my vacuum advance set to factory spec with my dial back light and a hand held vacuum pump. I also check the mechanical advance to factory spec but have never recurved that in a Ford.
Keep in mind that specs set in the 60s are just a baseline since fuel makeup has changed a lot since then. I still like to advance it maybe 2 degrees at a time, with the light, until it pings and then back it off 1-2 degrees. Then you have all the timing your fuel will allow.