Engine: Down to the nitty gritty on the 289 timing

[BassMan]

Hello All--Hope you are well. Thanks for all your help--it's a life saver. I have ran the engine on my home made engine stand for about 45 minutes so far. I broke in the cam with the points distributor because I could not get the Pertronix billet distributor to work. I have checked the valve lifter clearances and they are still at .025 on all cylinders. I have re-installed the Pertronix distributor and the car seems to run pretty well--I don't know what I had screwed up before, but I am guessing it was a ground problem. I have a couple of stupid questions. The first question is about the timing, and the second is about the carb. First stupid question: I have a timing light hooked up and the motor is running fairly well. What next?? Do I set the idle at 800 rpm and turn the distributor until it is flashing on the " top dead center " mark---or the "ignition" mark, or something else? ( I have read my manual but still don't really understand). Also, do I plug off the vacuum advance at this stage? I notice that when I turn the distributor, the idle speed will go up or down depending on which way you are turning it.
(the vacuum advance is definitely working as the timing is changing as I rev the engine). At about 1500 to 1800 rpm the engine sounds "almost perfect" to me. At about 1000 rpm, you can feel a little miss, not bad but there. The spark plugs are dark in color--I am assuming it's running a little to rich? Will a carb cause these symptoms ? I have to pull the carb back off anyway to deal with a little fuel seepage ( StudeRich, thanks again). I have one other piece of information. All cylinders checked at 150 lbs on the compression check---except one ( #7) and it was 140 to 142. These are the maximums. The first hit is about 90 lbs on all of them. I wondered if that would cause any issues. The oil pressure is about 70 lbs or so at about 1500 rpm at startup. I have not found any metal in the oil when I drained and replaced it with another belly full of break in oil. As always thanks---BassMan

[StudeRich]

Looks Great ! Even cooler looking with the Heads off.
Nice '55-'57 Ford Med. Blue Paint.

[StudeRich]

The Timing is set with the Vacuum Line disconnected and Plugged at 550-600 RPM at the Ign. Mark, (4 Degrees) or slightly more before UDC at about 6 Degrees (Half the 4 degree distance distance from UDC more) for better performance, also try a Vacuum Gauge for timing with the best Vac.

[BassMan]

Thanks StudeRich----Much appreciated---and yes I have the vacuum gauge hooked up too
MassMan

[BassMan]

Make that "BassMan" !

[altair]

The "I" on the IGN is exactly 4 degrees all you need to do is just set it there when the points are just to open.

[Charlie D.]

BassMan,
I am far from being an experienced engine re-builder having only the one 259 V8 under my belt. I will suggest that you take into consideration the possibility of re-torquing the head bolts. I debated that on my engine and decided to do it. I backed each bolt off 1/2 turn and re-torqued them in rebuild sequence. Every one of them took at least a little over 1/2 turn to get there and some up to 1 1/4 turns to get back to the starting torque. I did this after the initial 20 minute cam break in. Like you, I also checked the valve lash but they had not changed much.
Charlie D.

[aardvark]

Timing with the vacuume line plugged of on my 63 Avanti is (according to the Book) 23 degrees. I don't think it matters wether supercharged or not...Maybe somebody can address that.
Since my 2989 is a R2 Paxton Supercharged, the carb is finicky since the Supercharger is blowing pressure down on the carb. Mine tended to leak like a sieve and we rebuilt the entire Carb. Leak is now resolved.

[aardvark]

I mis-typed the engine size... It is a 289

[Bud]

The timing proceedure for the R2 engine is different from the rest of the V8 engines. If I remember correctly, the timing should be set to 16 deg BTDC at 1600 rpm, but check the shop manual because I may be wrong with the exact numbers. The timing for the R1 and other V8's is 4 deg BTDC at idle with the vacuum line disconnected. Bud

[64studeavanti]

Supercharged Studes are set @ 24 degrees BTDC @ 1600 rpm. Non supercharged Studes are set @ 4 degrees BTDC @ 650 rpm including R1 engines.

The centrifugal advance is 18 degrees for S/C @ 1200 rpm and 20 degrees @ 2000 rpm for R1.

Vacuum advance for both is 16 degrees @ 13" for both.

If you think about it, there will be no vacuum under boost.

Total advance for R1 under light load at cruise could be in the 40 degree range 4+20+16.

Total advance for R2 is much less. Assuming little or no vacuum @ 1600 rpm, only centrifugal advance is operative for a total of 24 degrees.

[aardvark]

64Studeavanti.
Agree. I have the shop manual and a R2 engine,,, it tells to set it at 24 deg. (we locked mine down at 23 deg)
Thanks Bud and 64 stud... for the verification. on differences in models.

[BassMan]

Thank you all for your input---Altair--Charlie D--aardvark--Bud--64studeavanti--StudeRich.
Really a big help---BassMan