Date:         Wed, 26 Jun 1996 15:42:00 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@gi.com>
Subject:      RE: 73 bus / timing question...


>  Should I leave it at 10 deg. ATDC although it runs significantly better 
at
>0 deg.??? Or is it okay to advance the timing a bit if it doesn't knock???
>  I can't make up my mind...any help???


If it were me, I'd leave it at zero (ahead of where the book says),
and even experiment with settings more advanced than that. But I'm
no ignition guru, and others on this list may well be able to give you
more knowledgeable advice than I.

When monitoring temperature as you drive, though, keep in mind that the
oil is usually the last thing to get hot when the engine does (exhaust
valves and cylinder heads are usually the first). So, if your engine
overheats, you might not know for a few moments just by the oil temp.
Cylinder head temperature gauges are usually a more reliable (or at
least more quick-responding) indicator of temperature.

If I were you, I'd find a long, gradual hill. Go up it in top gear
at around 50 several times, adjusting your timing before each run to try
a new setting. Do as you've described-- listen hard for pinging and watch
the temp gauge. Any pinging, and you've advanced too far, as you said
earlier.

Also, keep in mind how the starter sounds as you crank the engine to start
it with the timing set at the book spec, 10 ATDC. Then compare to the
starter sound as you advance the timing for each run. If the engine
cranks more slowly at any point, then you may have advanced the timing
far enough to ignite too soon ("starter drag"), and it's too advanced
at that point-- back it off to where the starter last spun the engine at
the "normal" cranking speed.

Good luck,

Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com   75461.1717@compuserve.com   '80 V6anagon