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Re: Subject: ignition timing

To: fot@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Subject: ignition timing
From: Catpusher@aol.com
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 02:42:43 EDT
> The way I set the ignition timing on my TR-4 is whilst driving to the race 
> and
> cruising at say 4000 rpms, I press down on the accelerator and if the engine
> pings, I stop and retard the spark. If it doesn't ping I advance it until it
> does then back off again until it doesn't do it any more. After buying race
> gas at the track, I do it all over again during practice and then I go on to
> worry about something else because this seems to always work.

<HP>This may work for street use, and is the way I used to time my street 
TR3,
but for a race motor the advance curve may exceed normal combustion at any 
point
in the RPM range; and at high track speed you might not be able to hear 
abnormal combustion until it is too late.

>>BTW: bronze valve guides should be honed, not reamed (trackside emergencies 
excepted)  
Road Atlanta knows this!

> 
> It also appears that the engine will run a little hotter if the spark is
> retarded.  This seems counter-intuitive, doesn't it?

<HP> Retarded ignition sends the heat of combustion into the cooling system, 
not out
via the flywheel.

> 
> So the question is, how do you real guys set your spark par excel lance? And
> how do you check it for each cylinder?

<HP> 1 and 4 are easy, but make certain that your timing light will work at 
high
RPM (many do not work well there)    

You have, I hope, verified the motor timing marks???

On the Dyno, under Load, is the only safe way I know  to do this............

Just mark the crank pulley for BDC & BDC max advance when you degree the cam,
and you have 2 & 3

<HP>

> 
> Richard Taylor
> 
> TR-4
> 
> Atlanta

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