TR2/3/3A Setting ignition timing at 8 degrees BTDC instead of 4?

[karls59tr]

I read somewhere that these engines perform better when the timing is set at 8 BTDC. Any opinions?:eagerness:

 

[bobhustead]

Factory says 4, so it's 4.
Bob

 

[Geo Hahn]

Since I set the final timing by driving and listening for the pinging -- I'd say they perform best wherever they perform best. But I start with 4° static timing.

Lots of variable here, both in the engine and at the pump, but 8° static sounds like a lot.

 

[trrdster2000]

Good advise George, setting these engines to perform at peak output for normal street driving can start a continuous tinkering to maintain such and adds a lot of stress on all the parts. Even race engines don't last 500 miles all the time and surely they are put together with closer attention to detail than we can get on our tracker engine.

Wayne

 

[karls59tr]

Since I set the final timing by driving and listening for the pinging -- I'd say they perform best wherever they perform best. But I start with 4° static timing.

Lots of variable here, both in the engine and at the pump, but 8° static sounds like a lot.

So is this the way to "road time" the engine after the initial 4*setting: drive in top gear around 30-50mph and if there is pinging Retard the knob on the vac advance one degree and test again and keep doing this until there is no pinging?

 

[martx-5]

Basically that's how you do it, but after the initial 4° setting, you probably won't get any pinging. In that case advance the knurled knob until you do, and back off enough for it to go away. If you initially set the static timing at TDC with the longest hash mark (the one in the center of the vernier), then when you advance the knurled nut two more marks (supposedly 1/2 turn), you'll be at 4° BTDC. Then any changes you make will be easy to keep track of.

 

[karls59tr]

Basically that's how you do it, but after the initial 4° setting, you probably won't get any pinging. In that case advance the knurled knob until you do, and back off enough for it to go away. If you initially set the static timing at TDC with the longest hash mark (the one in the center of the vernier), then when you advance the knurled nut two more marks (supposedly 1/2 turn), you'll be at 4° BTDC. Then any changes you make will be easy to keep track of.

I found the article I mentioned at the beginning of this thread. It's at "TR Ignition Timing-VTR" and the article is by Ken Gillanders. He sets the timing using the static method with test bulb and when you turn the crank in a clockwise direction you place the hole drilled in the rear half of the pulley 3/8" to the left of the timing pointer. Turn distributor till test light come on etc. Then he says: "3/8" measured on the circumference of the crankshaft is about 8 degrees,which is more initial advance than the factory recommends,the engine however seems to run more effectively at 8 degrees than 4 degrees of advance". Also does each notch on the vac advance vernier represent 4 degrees?

 

[martx-5]

...,the engine however seems to run more effectively at 8 degrees than 4 degrees of advance". Also does each notch on the vac advance vernier represent 4 degrees?

You know, each notch may be 4°. It might be 2° of rotation on the dizzy, which may be 4° on the crank. I've always used each notch to represent 2°, so maybe I've always wound up at 8° and it seems to run good with out too much more adjustment.

 

[karls59tr]

You know, each notch may be 4°. It might be 2° of rotation on the dizzy, which may be 4° on the crank. I've always used each notch to represent 2°, so maybe I've always wound up at 8° and it seems to run good with out too much more.
Art Could you clarify something for me. I see how you set your timing and will probably do it that way. Is setting it by having the hole 3/8" before the pointer,as KG describes, doing the same thing?.....in other words that would set timing at 8 degrees without having to use the vernier initially? Then you could road tune for pinging and dial in the vernier.

 

[martx-5]

It's six in one hand, half a dozen in the other. I use the vernier as a point of reference. If I start with the long hash mark at the TDC position, it's always just a matter of how many marks are are away from it. I can always go back to the long TDC mark if for some reason things aren't working out and start over. Since Lucas provided that nice little feature, why not use it?

BTW, make sure that your points are correctly set before you do any of this.