Hey ya'll!
I need to find out:
Where are the timing marks,
what is the advance,
vacuum on or off,
?
2.3/auto
Thanks,
Mike
On the crankshaft pulley, 8 degrees BTDC, disconnected and plugged.
Jake
The book I have (as well as the sticker on my valve cover), says 20 BTDC for the auto, with advance unhooked and plugged. I have to set mine lower due to it rattling under accel. Just set it to where it runs good, with no pinging under moderate to heavy acceleration. I have found this to be true to all vehicles. Pointer is on belt cover, and the marks are stamped on the pulley, not that either of them is accurate.
20 degrees!? I don't know of any car that runs a base of 20 degrees. The sticker on my car looks like it says 6 but after buying original 1974 Ford service manuals it shows 8 degrees for the 2.3.
Jake
20 deg. at what RPM?
I thought the auto was 12deg. But that may be the 2.0?
I would just go as fast34 says.
From Pintony
According to the Ford shop manual that I'm looking at,it can be from 6-20* depending on the year and whether or not it is California emissions.All figures are before TDC with vacuum disconnected and plugged.The RPM listed,vary from the Idle RPM,all others should be set at normal idle .
TIMING IDLE RPM
1974---------6* 650
1975---------6*--------10* California 550
1976---------20* @ 550 RPM 750
1977---------20* @ 700 RPM 750 *
1978---------20* @ 700 RPM 800
1979---------20* 800 **
1980---------20*--------12*California 750
*Station Wagon with 3.18 rear,except California 800 RPM
**California 750 RPM
That's wild. The 74 Ford manual I have defanitly shows 8 degrees for a 74 2.3 with an automatic. Idle set at 750 rpm.
Jake
I wonder if it makes any difference which region of the country you are in.Did Ford dealerships have different manuals because of geographic location?
That's a good question. I have no idea. Although I was pretty sure the sticker on the valve cover said 6 degrees at 750 RPM. The 6 has a bit of a smudge so it could be an 8 too. Sounds like it is going to just fall back to trial and error until you get it running at its best.
Jake
I think you're right.The timing marks on these engines are to get you in the ball bark and then you dial it in by trial and error.LOL
Good enough.
Get it close and then tweak it. ;)
Have a good one all.
OK I am going to add this since I don't remember seeing it in the Ford manual. I was have timing problems on my 74 2.3 with an auto. It was making nuts because even with the timing set to 6 degrees that car idled like crap. When I noticed on the sticker on the valve cover stated "with the transmission in drive". So I reset the timing that way and everything straightened right out and the car runs like a top now. So if you are having problems you might want to try this out. According to the vlave cover sticker timing gets set at 6 degress before TDC at least on my 74. I tried 8 degrees and the power dropped off. So 6 was the magic number.
Jake