bumping up timing on 4.3l

[Oriole]

I got a 1988 starline aggressor with the 4.3l 2 barrel alpha 1 rated for 175hp. The valve cover states the initial timing be at 8* btdc. Am I going to hurt anything by advancing the timing to 10* or more?

What do most of you set your initial timing to?

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: bumping up timing on 4.3l

Ditto the above. Just run stock timing. I run 12* but thats with 93 Octane. It just runs better with more timing. When the engine was stock though I ran 8*

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: bumping up timing on 4.3l

Everybody around here sells 93. Heck we have the Sunoco next door to me that sells their 94 Ultra and 100 Blue Fuel Both unleaded. Its real common in Ohio.

 

[Leardriver]

Re: bumping up timing on 4.3l

What about those of us at high altitude? We used to advance the timing one degree for every thousand feet above sea level, so in Denver at 6,000 feet, even conservatively couldn't I advance the timing 2-3 degrees on a Volvo 4.3 GL-D?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: bumping up timing on 4.3l

For those at high altitude you still may not be able to advance the timing since it depends on the fuel available. Often, the fuel sold at high altitude areas is lower octane than what is sold at sea level. Need to see what it says on the pump. At Lake Tahoe(6300 ft), where I often boat, the octane is 2 points lower,

 

[mylesm260]

Re: bumping up timing on 4.3l

Agreed with everyone above

With no knock sensor, advancing the timing is a bad idea, unless you're going to run better fuel.

I live in south-western British Columbia, (Vancouver canada) and we have 94 availible pretty much everywhere. Plus we're at sea level.