[jigga99]

i cant seem to get the timing right what should be the best timing for this block? it was set at 8* retard and it doesnt ping but when you set it to 8*advance it pings? its at 1* advance and still pings? the more retard the timing the better? im so confused
specs
• Hydraulic Camshaft
• .050 Duration: 234° Intake; 244° Exhaust
• Advertised Duration: 300° Intake; 310° Exhaust
• Cam Lift: .325 Intake; .340 Exhaust
• Valve Lift: .488 Intake; .510 Exhaust
• Lobe Center: 107° Intake; 117° Exhaust
• Forged steel crankshaft
• 10.3:1 compression ratio
• High performance rod bolts and nuts
• High rev lifters and performance valve
springs with retainers
• High volume oil pump
• Double roller timing set
• Flat top hypereutectic pistons and moly rings
• Harmonic balancer
• Screw in rocker studs
• High performance stainless steel valves:
2.02 Intake; 1.6 Exhaust
• High performance camshaft
• High performance bearings
• High performance head gaskets
• Four bolt main block
• Dart Iron Eagle heads
• Full roller rockers
• With Flex Plate
750 edelbrock carb and rpm intake
hei msd built in coil

[travis]

I think you either have the wrong timing tab/balancer combo, or else a slipped outer ring on the balancer. The thing shouldn't even start at 8* retarded. What cc's are the heads? Gasket thickness? Deck height? 2 or 4 valve reliefs? You could have more compression than you think. Did you verify TDC between the balancer and timing tab when you assembled the engine?

[jigga99]

how do i check top dead center? or cheack and see if the markers are in the right spot?

[DjD]

There are other ways but this will work... Pull the plugs and put your thumb over the plug hole on the #1 cyl. It's the closest to the radiator on the drivers side of the car. Pull the coil wire and with your thumb over the plug hole bump the engine around until pressure builds up and blows past your thumb. If your mark is right and you have the right pointer you should find the mark just approaching the pointer.

If that is what you have then you can put a socket on the crank and turn the engine by hand and line the timing mark with the pointer. If the pointer and mark are not even close, then you'll need a piston stop to aid you in dialing in TDC from here but you should be real close at this point...

[thedugan]

Dennis, just for my information how does the piston stop work.

[DjD]

In a nut shell you screw the positive stop (piston stop ) into the plug hole and turn the engine over by hand until it stops (piston hits the positive stop) and you mark the spot on the dampener. Then you turn the engine over by hand the opposite direction until the piston hits the stop again now mark the dampener again. TDC is directly in the middle of the 2 marks.

If you were degreeing a cam you would use a degree wheel instead of marking the dampener for more accuracy...

[JohnZ]

Here's what a piston stop tool looks like; you definitely have a timing tab issue.

[thedugan]

So do you have to set the piston stop? It looks like you can spin it.

[DjD]

Yes, you can adjust it in or out to narrow the range on either side of TDC. There are also piston stops that have a hole iin the center to allow the compression out as you near TDC.