Damon said to set at 3000rpm unless I completely misread. And it ran and sounded great when I did do that, it's just when I came back out after maybe 5 minutes hooked up the vacuume and started it, thats when it all went down hill.

My timming gears good then cause the mark doesn't wander.

And no I don't know that it's stock I'm assuming from the previous owner when I asked if there were any mods and judging from her character I would strongly suggest that it's stock spec.

 

Yeah thats were I set it. So the centrifugal is all in. Like I said my msd doesn't have a vac canister on it. I also have a digital timing light with total timing read out and rpm. I set mine alitte different I guess.

Busted I forgot to tell him to plug the port on the carb.

 

Yeah my light isn't that nice, but once I get an oil pressure gauge put in I'll redo how you had me do it, cept for the 3000rpm cause it did run really good but idk how the vacuume liked it once I hooked it up though lol. A new distributor will definitely be in my cars future though, when the time come I'll have to decide how electronic I want it to be.

 

A fancy timing light isn't required I got mine from a buddy who got a new one, I had to solder a wire back on inside but it works great now. I think you have the dizzy in correct now its just a matter of setting the timing and you'll be on to carb tuning 101. The MSD web site has some of the best videos I have ever seen on installing a dizzy and setting timing. Watch all of them if you can, very informative. The 79 T/A video has a good animated description of what initial timing and total timing are. Do like Vall said and I bet your gonna be close. Did you look and see if the oil was thinned from too much fuel dumping yet? The knock may go away with good oil and the right timing. You did mention it sounded like it was coming from under the valve covers which is actually better than a rod knock. lifters will be more of a ticking and rods sound much deeper and truly do sound like knocking. I hope it goes away, I know your getting frustrated. Hang in there. My truck has been running like crap for 2 months and I haven't a clue why, I'm very frustrated-- FI sucks.

A new dizzy won't help anything though. Stock HEI is actually a very good set up and alot can be done with it. I think the oil pressure gauge is a good idea. I'm glad other people are starting to chime in, I'm not a master mechanic by no means. In no way do I have all the answers. I'm just very good a tinkering until its right.

 

Well I didn't mean a new dizzy to try to solve the problem just a new one a few years down the road, And slowly tinkering is probably how I'm gonna wind up getting mine right.

 

Never heard of timing a smallblock at anything above idle speed in neutral of around 750-800 rpm. Since the vacuum advance is not in the picture it has no effect on timing when the line is plugged, but at 3,000 rpm's your mechanical advance is full in and you're adding to the timing setting. That throws the timing way off when you're at idle and your engine wont run right.

 

Well I'm man enough to admit I might be doing something wrong. I have always though well if I have a dizzy w/ 28* plus the 4*-8* on the balancer then I'm at 32*-36* total. I guess I need to do a little more reading. Honestly I rarely use a light and do it by ear. Only when I was racing did i use the light and then I still messed with it until I got the best MPH.

 

Well I used to have a ticking, but now its more of a knocking. But I got new belts, and an oil gauge today. Monday I'll get those on, start it to check the oil pressure, and if it's good I'll do the oil change. Then figure things out

 

alright, just confirming but the original electric oil sensor is the thing going into the block, behind the intake, and next to the dizzy right? didn't get around to getting it done today, school was throwing me a whoopin. But hopefully tomorrow I'll have the time and can get that oil pressure gauge on and re-time everything and get things right.

 

Yes thats the spot. School got me too. Trig is a beyotch.

BTW I got some light reading for you. http://www.bob2000.com/carb.htm I downloaded this about 8yrs ago or something and printed it, laminated it and put it in a 3 ring binder in my tool box. This guy knows how to tune a carb, so after your timing is set you'll be ready for some tweeking.