The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Where Do We Go From Here?

It's been awhile since we talked about my truck. You may recall all the trouble I've had with carburetion and other things on the ole girl. It's a '62 235 punched .030 over with stock cam and professionally built by a local speed shop. I have an Offy dual intake with Carter/Weber 2bbls on it with Fentons and Flowmaster 40's. She's got HEI and alternator. All of the wiring is new. It's timed to stock specifications (on the dot).

Generally, she runs very well. It seems to bog just a little ok take-off or when I try to do a rapid acceleration. I suppose it's possible that I need to work on carburetor adjustment or synchronization but I can't help but wonder if it needs to be timed differently.

I punched a hole in a piston once because the timing and air mixture were off so I'm a bit punchy about just turning the distributor until it runs.

What are your thoughts on timing? My challenge?

Jerry A,

I think experimenting with the timing is a very good first step. Detonation can surely blast a piston to pieces, but it seems you would have heard pinging and knocking long before it got serious enough to do this. The lean fuel/air mixture would only have adverse effects under the most extreme conditions and for a prolonged period of time. I'm certainly not a race engine mechanic, but I think something else might have been responsible for your piston failure, and I wouldn't be hesitant to fiddle with the timing all you want. The engine will tell you when it doesn't like what you have done...long before it will commit seppuku .

Stuart

The piston looked like a 22 round went through it. I had driven it at highway speeds for about 300 miles.

I would boost the timing up a few degrees . Those specks are for the gas they had back then. While that old leaded fuel was better, we have more octane now. It can handle more timing.

Ok; here's dumba.. question of the day. Is 'to advance' a clockwise move of the distributor?

Jerry A,

The rotation of the distributor is clockwise. If you want the plug to fire earlier..advanced..you rotate the distributor against the direction of rotation..counter-clockwise. No dumba questions on this site!

Stuart