Mentorships and where to find them?

[KMD88 2]

1 hour ago, aslanefe said:

Figure out a way to install the vacuum gage, it is a valuable tool for tuning. Carb adjustment/tuning is only one part of the equation; advance/distributor tuning is the other part of the equation for a good running engine.

Agreed, I need to get that vacuum gauge on there. The manifold rubber gaskets just weren’t giving when I tried to pull them out. Maybe I just wasn’t forcing it enough. 

[aslanefe 333]

11 hours ago, KMD88 said:

It’s a 351 Windsor with a Holley street warrior carb.

Happen to know any good tutorials on how to install a tach?

I would get a timing light with tach (like Innova 3568) instead of installing a separate tach (unless you want a tach inside the car). You need a timing light to adjust timing anyway; you can use the tach feature of the timing light for setting your idle etc.

[KMD88 2]

Just so I'm understanding correctly, would getting the timing right help with how the acceleration is feeling? Feel like it takes a little more foot on the pedal to accelerate ever since the previous mechanic increased the rpm's. 

[aslanefe 333]

4 hours ago, KMD88 said:

Just so I'm understanding correctly, would getting the timing right help with how the acceleration is feeling? Feel like it takes a little more foot on the pedal to accelerate ever since the previous mechanic increased the rpm's. 

Yup, you need correct levels of fuel, oxygen and ignition timing to get the most out of the engine.

[KMD88 2]

Great, thanks for the input. I forgot to mention that I have a Petronix electronic ignition (it was installed by the previous owner years back). Does that change anything with how ignition timing is adjusted? 

[aslanefe 333]

13 minutes ago, KMD88 said:

Great, thanks for the input. I forgot to mention that I have a Petronix electronic ignition (it was installed by the previous owner years back). Does that change anything with how ignition timing is adjusted? 

No. Pertronix only replaces the points of the distributor, timing still needs to be adjusted.

[Mach1 Driver 560]

It isn't that difficult, get an inexpensive timing light, a tach, and maybe a dwell meter like shown here and give it a whirl:

 

[Rsanter 152]

Find local mustang people around you.

offer to get together and work on cars, offer to help them on their car.

i have had several apprentices over the years, one was a younger guy from work that knew a little about cars. He would come over and help me with my cars and I would help hum as well as give him a place to work on his car.

currently it’s my daughters x-boyfriend. He has learned a lot about cars from me as well as helping me a lot around the shop

[KMD88 2]

Was able to get the timing light working. Here are my RPM readings so far at 6 degrees BTDC: 

Warmed up (in Park) - 1950-1980

When in Drive - 986

Back to Park - 2010

What do you guys think?  

 

[Midlife 814]

Idle is waaaay too high.  Should be somewhere around 800 rpm; 1600 when cold.

[Mach1 Driver 560]

This is from the shop manual- idle RPM is on the bottom line

[KMD88 2]

On 8/6/2022 at 7:19 PM, Midlife said:

Idle is waaaay too high.  Should be somewhere around 800 rpm; 1600 when cold.

Thanks to everyone for the help. Got the timing dialed in (running around 800rpm’s now) and the drive is much better! Might do a little more tinkering, but I think the ignition timing did the trick! 

[RPM 1,190]

I love it when people who axe questions online follow the advice given, and follow up the thread with a conclusion. Nice work KMD88.

[aslanefe 333]

3 hours ago, KMD88 said:

Thanks to everyone for the help. Got the timing dialed in (running around 800rpm’s now) and the drive is much better! Might do a little more tinkering, but I think the ignition timing did the trick! 

Did you adjust the timing to a given value or did you adjust it to what your engine likes?

[KMD88 2]

13 hours ago, aslanefe said:

Did you adjust the timing to a given value or did you adjust it to what your engine likes?

Both, honestly. Tuning the carburetor for the first time a couple weeks ago gave me a good sense of what the engine likes (and driving it lean for some time gave me an idea of what it should NOT sound like). Plus, I had watched enough YouTube videos that provided what I should be hearing for while tuning. 

When I started focusing on ignition timing, I started with Midlife and Mach1Driver's rpm recommendations. Luckily, the lines for top dead center and 10 degrees BTDC were clearly marked on the harmonic balancer, so I ended up landing somewhere in the middle as the current sweet spot. 

 

[aslanefe 333]

Give it as much advance as possible without pinging. Increase the timing 2 degrees then drive it, if it is not pinging, give 2 more degrees. Keep increasing the timing as above until it pings; when it pings, take 2 degrees of timing. My engine is at 18 degrees timing and idles at 570 rpm when in gear (auto). Every engine is different, so you have to play with it to find the optimum timing.

[KMD88 2]

On 8/9/2022 at 10:02 AM, aslanefe said:

Give it as much advance as possible without pinging. Increase the timing 2 degrees then drive it, if it is not pinging, give 2 more degrees. Keep increasing the timing as above until it pings; when it pings, take 2 degrees of timing. My engine is at 18 degrees timing and idles at 570 rpm when in gear (auto). Every engine is different, so you have to play with it to find the optimum timing.

Thanks for the extra advice aslanefe. I'll definitely do it that way when continuing to tweak. I noticed that even the slightest of distributor turns yielded a big difference, so going two degrees at a time makes sense.