How Do You Calculate Total Timing?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Total timing, which refers to the maximum amount of ignition timing applied to the engine, is easy enough to calculate. You get the

number by adding initial timing to mechanical advance

.

What is the total timing for SBC?

Depending on your cylinder heads, compression ratio, camshaft, and centrifugal advance curve in the distributor, “normal” base timing for a street high-perf small-block Chevy is somewhere in the 12- to 18-degree before top dead center (BTDC) range, with total timing at full centrifugal advance

about 34 to 36 degrees

What is total timing on an engine?

Total timing is

the term given to the highest amount of advance

. This is when the initial timing is added to the mechanical timing. For instance, if an engine has 10° of initial combined with 21° of mechanical, the total timing is 31° BTDC. Note that Total timing never includes vacuum advance.

How do you calculate engine timing?

  1. measure the geometric dimensions of the port and the crankshaft, conrod and piston and derive the timing from trigonometric calculations. …
  2. measure the crankshaft angle and watch the port to open and to close while you turn the crankshaft.

How do you find the total timing?

Total timing, which refers to the maximum amount of ignition timing applied to the engine, is easy enough to calculate. You get

the number by adding initial timing to mechanical advance

.

How do you set the timing?

Adjusting the Timing. Loosen the bolt that secures the engine’s distributor enough so that the distributor can be turned. To adjust your timing, all you need to do is

turn the distributor housing one direction

or the other, depending on whether or not you want to advance or move back the timing.

What is WOT timing?

At WOT, the air and fuel are tightly packed and burn quickly so we don’t need as much timing. At 2,800 rpm at WOT,

32 to 34 degrees

of timing could be just about right for a typical pump gas street engine. … Mechanical advance is totally dependent on engine speed while vacuum advance is solely controlled by engine load.

How much power is in a degree of timing?


2-3 hp per degree

is a good rule.

Does vacuum advance add to total timing?

The vacuum advance provides this benefit

BEFORE the Mechanical Advance provides Total Timing

. … The vacuum advance feature has NO EFFECT on full-throttle power. They provide no benefit for engines that spend most of their life at high rpm (race engines). A vacuum advance unit can add up to 15 degrees of advance.

What happens if timing is too far advanced?

Advancing the timing means the plug fires earlier in the compression stroke (farther from TDC). Advance is required because the air/fuel mixture does not burn instantly. It takes time for the flame to ignite the all the mixture. However, if the timing is advanced too far,

it will cause an Engine Knock

.

What is BTDC timing?

Definition: A common term used to

indicate the amount of ignition advance

. Examples: Setting the ignition timing, so that the spark is initiated before top-dead-center, is necessary because of the time delay before the explosion reaches maximum force.

What will retarding timing do?

Ignition Retarding. … Ignition timing retarding causes

the spark plug to fire later in the compression stroke

. The effects of retarding ignition timing include reducing engine detonation, which is combustion inside the cylinders after the spark plug fires. This is also known as engine knocking.

What should ignition timing be at idle?

Idle/staging is typically

55 degrees

to ignite the cylinders with a rich idle mixture. Launch typically 50-53 degrees adjusted for an optimum power at launch. Bring the timing back to typically 50-57 degrees for the remainder of the run to restore power.

What is mechanical timing?

The mechanical (or centrifugal) advance is

an Ignition Timing control mechanism built into most distributors

. It is made up of: Two weights, An advance plate or cam attached to the trigger mechanism inside the distributor, and. Springs that control how fast the weights are flung outward.

How much initial timing is too much?

It depends on how much mechanical advance is in the distributor that you are using. If your initial is

at least 12* after adjusting your total to 34*

, I’d say you are in good shape.

How do timing lights work?

When you pull the trigger of the timing light (with the engine running), each time the Number 1 plug fires, the timing light flashes a

beam of light

. … The strobing timing light “freezes” the motion of the pulley and allows you to see how many degrees before or after TDC the spark is firing.

David Evans
Author
David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.