Power Timing your Buick V8

Discussion in 'Buick FAQ' started by LARRY70GS, Jan 2, 2005.

  1. JStov

    JStov Well-Known Member

    Lol ok I'll do that thanks again Larry I appreciate ya greatly!!!
     
  2. RoseBud68

    RoseBud68 Well-Known Member

    I have read all of this thread, from front to back. Thank you Larry for all that you have given to this board.
    Went out to the garage today to look at my distributor that i had rebuild many moons ago, and lo and behold...It had the crane 99601-1 installed.
    I have the original dist. stamped 1112077, what is the total for this one?
    And as you can see form the photo below the cam adjuster is in the wrong place...
    [​IMG]
    Another shot.
    [​IMG]
    Need to order new springs and take care of that adjuster. Not getting any vacuum at idle from the line that plugs to the advance. Stock engine with stock vacuum equipment. Ported line off the carb.
     
  3. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    That's a 1971 distributor,

    1971IgnitionSpecs.JPG
    That is the way Crane instructions say to position the cam (adjuster). Not the best way. You'll need to remove it and drill and tap a hole and mount it. I have pictures on how to do it. Send an e mail to me (address in signature) and I will send them to you.

    That's what ported vacuum is, no vacuum at idle.
     
  4. 67340

    67340 Member

    Hi. Will be doing the power timing on a 67 340 4b Skylark. The distributor has been gone through, plate mod done and adjustable vac advance, dist# 1111159. Dumb question... Do I line up the 0 on the timing tape and 0 on the timing indicator before I drop in the distributor? Have already confirmed the 0 timing mark using a spark plug top dead center tool. Reason I ask is cause of this excerpt from manual. Thanks.
    upload_2019-7-1_3-12-49.png
     
  5. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Just because the marks are aligned does not guarantee that you are on the compression stroke. The marks align on the exhaust stroke as well. To make sure you are on the compression stroke, remove the #1 spark plug and cover the hole with your finger. Have someone bump the starter a little at a time. When the piston comes up on the compression stroke air will push your finger off the hole. At that point, the mark should be coming around under the water pump. Continue turning the crank clockwise until the Mark aligns with the 0 of the timing tab. Install the distributor with the rotor tip pointing at the #1 tower of the distributor cap. Make sure you fully seat the distributor into the timing cover and the oil pump is fully engaged. Install the hold down and bolt and tighten it just enough so you can just turn the distributor by hand. This is very important. If the hold down is not tightened down, the distributor can pop up when the engine starts and disengage from the oil pump. Good luck.
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2019
    67340 and 1969RIVI like this.
  6. 1969RIVI

    1969RIVI Well-Known Member

    Install the hold down and bolt and tighten it just enough so you can just turn the distributor by hand. This is very important. If the hold down is not tightened down, the distributor can pop up when the engine starts and disengage from the oil pump. Good luck.[/QUOTE]

    That EXACT thing happened to me my first time lol
     
  7. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    :)Yeah, I learned the hard way as well way back when.
     
  8. 67340

    67340 Member

    Thanks for clarifying that and the rotor pointing at 1 on the cap. Have a few things to do yet, July 4th I will have a helper available for timing.
    Thanks for keeping this thread going, read all 41 pages.
     
  9. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    You should be a pro at this then:) Make sure to download the Word attachment in the very first post.
     
  10. 67340

    67340 Member

    OK. Now I have got my 30 mark at 0. Test drove with no problems. All in at 2600 rpm. Vac advance hooked back up and modded to allow 10 degrees advance. I know I will have to drive again to test vac advance. But how do I know it is really 10 degrees? Do I time it again and it will be 40 at 2600rpm.? Thanks.
     
  11. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Yes, it should be 40.
     
    67340 likes this.
  12. 67340

    67340 Member

    Great. Thanks again.
     
  13. Darron72Skylark

    Darron72Skylark Well-Known Member

    With the TA Performance 350 heads, does the new chamber design mean that builds using these new heads need less advance than iron head 350s?
     
  14. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Possibly, maybe not. You still have to do the tuning work. I can tell you this, I have seen increases in trap speed with as much as 38* in my engine with the 455 Stage1SE heads. It's a whole new ballgame with the 350 heads.
     
  15. Darron72Skylark

    Darron72Skylark Well-Known Member

    Thank you Larry! Are you still all in by 2600 rpm or so with your Stage 1 SE heads?
     
  16. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    I run constant timing. I locked out the distributor. 34* on the street, but I have bumped it up at the track to see what the results were. I always mix in some 110, usually 5 gallons with half a tank or so of 93.
     
  17. MrSony

    MrSony Well-Known Member

    Any pics of the crane limiter plate installed in a TA HEI?
     
  18. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

  19. MrSony

    MrSony Well-Known Member

  20. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    I'm not sure what you are talking about. Maybe you could post a picture. I have printed instructions and pictures that I got from Dave Ray a long time ago. I am sure I posted the pictures somewhere on this thread. I can send them to anyone that wants them. Just send an e mail to me, my address is in my signature.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2019

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