Timing questions

[MikeyZee]

Hi All!

With help from a couple members here I got the 280ZX dizzy swap done on my son's 72 240z (auto). It fires right up now with little or no choke from the Webers. I live outside of Denver at about 5500 feet above sea level. What should I try as far as the timing goes? I know there are too many variables to tell me exact but a ballpark? It's running now and seems to be ok but just a little sluggish from idle and there were a couple backfires through the carbs.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Thanks,

Mike

[ozconnection]

Get a good timing light,if you don't already have one. I recently bought one off ebay and within 10 minutes after using it for the first time, i had pulled off my 280zx distributor and was replacing it with another 'good' spare I had.

With a good timing light, like the equus (I think thats how you spell it) you can checK your initial advance, your total advance and at what revs this all happens.

Greatest tool I bought since my Innovate wide band Air/Fuel ratio meter thingy.!

Money well spent.

I will let others suggest timing starting points for you, their engines are a little closer to your specs. ie webers etc.

Good luck.

[240ZX]

Mike,

An old tried and true method is to advance your timing until you experience detonation (pinging) and then retard it a couple of degrees. Just a thought!

Tom

[moritz55]

As "ozconnection" suggests, get a digital timing light with total advance offset capability and an RPM reading. I bought one for ~$90 at Autozone - works exceptionally well - can't remember the brand. It will also enable you to assure your idle is true using the digital RPM reading as my stock RPM gauge was measuring ~100 RPM faster than actual.

I've read on prior posts that setting the L24 at 15-17BTC @ 900RPM is a good setting, then setting with the total advance at 32-34BTC @ 3000RPM. My L24 is set at 35-36BTC @ 3000 RPM and runs real well for me. I also keep my 240z idle set at ~900RPM and am happy with it here.

Hope this helps and good luck,