I was playing around with refreshing the vacuum lines and other various intake stuff and I have the distributor cap unscrewed and twisted a bit out of the way. Well, no more unstable idle (yay!) but I can't figure out how I'm supposed to calibrate the ignition timing now?

The WSM says something to the effect of, "Set Ignition Timing according to graphs" and thats it. The recent thread of timing helped a lot, but right now I idle at 1050 rpm and I feel like I have power loss as well as a miss every now and then. Can anybody give me the run-down on how to properly time this car?

1980 Euro S

 

walleyp wrote something up just a few weeks ago. A searh for timing should turn it up.

I have tried at least half a dozen times to check mine of my 84 and no luck. If I set it with the timing light to factory specs it runs like crap. I have read and read but cant figure it out. I know that does not help much, but have yet to see or hear a simple explanation. On the old SBC and fords was easy... could do dwell and timing in a matter of a few minutes.

I also have a miss once car gets hot. Only really notice it at idle. You can watch the tach needle jump when it misses and can feel it. I have replaces cap rotor wires, and did not help. Im going to wait till I do TB and WP and see if that does not help.

Will be anxious to see what you find out.

 

I thought I read here that you set it at the 32 deg mark with the engine at 3000rpm. The vac lines need to be dc'd from the dist and plugged also whild doing this.

 

According to the WSM the 80 is about as simple as my 78, the timing numbers are just different.

Warm up engine to operating temperature.
Connect timing light.
Remove both vacuum hoses on distributor.
Adjust ignition timing to 23 degrees before TDC at an engine speed of 3000 RPM, this number should be plainly marked.
Loosen and turn turn distributor to change timing as needed.
Attach vacuum hoses again.

There is a second page that goes into testing the centrifugal advance on the distributor, but the timing has to be set first.

It also sounds like your idle is too high. It should be 750 rpm +/- 50.

The graphs all seem to relate to the centrifugal advance.

 

High idle is almost certainly a vac leak or misrouted hose to the distributor. Advice about checking timing above is good advice, but I'll emphasize the need to plug the vac hoses that you remove to set timing.

Also, if the green wire is old and cracked, disturbing it may have finished it off. I've posted some specifics on checking those vac lines and the vac advance system here.

 

If its a Euro it's 27 Degrees at 3K, I went to 32 using 93 Octane, 22 Degrees is for Us cars. You should plug your removed vacuum hoses when setting the timing. When your done reconnect lines adjust the idle to around 750. If you can rent a timing light from Auto zone or equivalent see if it's adjustable. If it is set it to the specks above and turn the distributor until the lines line up at 0.

 

Here is a page from the manual.

 

That's for 78 and 79, 80 to 82 (US only?) is on page 28-23.

 

before you get to use the timing light first check the static timing remove the distributor cap then make sure the rotor is pointing at the hash mark in the dist housing with the engine at TDC also verify the cams are correct.
The miss you describe could be a bad wire so run the car at night to see for any sparks

 

Haha, wow, I'm so confused. Ok, so the process is:

b2) Check cams.
b1) Attach timing light
1) Warm up engine.
2) Let Engine Idle
3) Pull and plug lines at vac distributor.
4) Adjust timing (with what, my bare hands?) to 27 Deg at 3000rpm. Do I need a buddy to help me here to rev the engine? Do I just twist the distributor cap to change it?
5) Reconnect lines, adjust idle with idle speed screw.

Thanks for all your inputs.

 

Forget about idle, it means nothing WRT timing.

More like:

1. Check wires(run the car in a very dark place, look for arcs)
2. Check distributor position at #1 TDC as Stan describes. Basically set engine to TDC and see if the rotor lines up with the mark. If it's off about 180°, spin the crank a full turn and check again. Don't turn the crank backward!
3. Warm up the car to operating temp.
4. Attach timing light
5. Remove vac hoses from distributor and plug them.
6. Rev car to 3k RPM -- you can put a stick between the accelerator and the seat if you have electric seats, and just inch the seat forward till you get the RPM where you want it.
7. Set the timing to spec.

As far as what to set the timing to... Are you certain it's a true euro S? There was the US, the Euro, and the Euro S in '80. What are the numbers stamped in the boss on the engine block, near the front of the passenger side head? (Opposite side from distributor in case you have RHD)

 

Shouldn't the correct degree of timing be marked? I know my 78 has a mark for 31, taking the guesswork out of it.

 

Leo,

You move the whole distributor (not just the cap) to change the timing. There is a retainer at the bottom of the distributor that allows it to move. Loosen it slightly so it can be moved my hand but not so loose that it moves by itself with the engine running. Moving the distributor CC advances the timing and clockwise retards the timing. BTW when timing you may need to adjust your idle as you go since a too high idle can give you a false reading due to centrifugal advancing in the distributor.

Dennis

 

Check the timing first to see if the timing actually needs adjusting.

You adjust the timing by loosening the distributor clamp bolt until you can just turn the distributor body. Run the RPM up to the specified point, then turn the distributor body until the specified timing marks align. This will be the timing pointer above the crank dampener aligned with the mark on the crank dampener.

Stay out of the moving parts!!

When the timing is set correctly, let the engine idle, shut it down, and tighten the distributor clamp.

If your distributor has two vacuum connections, the line that has vacuum at idle goes on the inner connection, the one that doesn't goes on the outer connection.

Missing isn't usually due to the timing being off...

Check and clean both ends of the coil wire, inspect the plug wires carefully. Try running the engine while in a dark place and look for sparks leaking from the plug wires. How old are the plugs? Copper plugs?

 

I may have been a bit presumptuous with saying it was "missing". The distributor and wires are 5 months old, and look practically new. The effect is more like a rumble through the engine that'll shake the car. Uneven running, in other words. I'm gonna go test it out sans light because all the auto stores are closed now.

For the record:

1) Warm up engine
2) Remove vac lines & plug
3) Loose Distributor Clamp Bolt
4) Twist Distributor to adjust timing to 23 Deg at 3000rpm. I'll get you the engine numbers, pretty sure it's a Euro. I've got the import papers.
5) Done?

My WSM has 23 Deg at 3000rpm for M28/13/14 Models, opposite to the page posted above. Funny, it's got a pic of the numbers at 28 deg.

Will report back with info!