Got a question, when setting total timing. Do i need to disconnect vacuum line from advance befo bringing engine rpm up and setting timing, or do i need to leave vacuum line attached? Also is it better to set total then intial or intial then total? any help the gurus will be appreciated [/align][/align][/align]thanks[/align]Scott[/align]69 396 SS Camaro[/align]

 

there's not two different settings here.you either run initial or total..either way the vacuum advance has to be disconnected.if you set the timing on total advance then you dont hook the vacuum advance up.you take it up to about 3000rpm set the timing and your done.setting initial timing,you diconnect the advance,at idle,set the timing ,hook the advance back up,then your done

 

no kidding, so by me setting initial and then setting total i screwed up initial?, but initial didnt change.

what is the diff in intial and total?


thx
scott

 

your initial timing should be somewhere between 8-12.when you accelerate the vacuum advance will advance your timing to the total which is around 36..

 

i think i've told you wrong.you can set the initial and adjust the total if you have the adjustable vacuum advance.you cant set both by turning the distributor.set the initial by turning the dist. with the advance unhooked.check the total with the advance hooked up at about 3000rpm.if adjustment is needed,unhook advance,using a small screw driver,adjust the advance thru the vacuum hook up on the advance ,hook the vacuum back up and recheck.when we were racing ,we would weld the weights wide open inside the dist and set the total with dist. and not run the vacuum advance