Awkward

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Hi can anyone help on the correct timing for our 1998 V8 3.5L.
Set it at 6 deg but it runs sluggish so have retarded it till it pinks then advanced it a tad. With a strobe on it it’s reading prox 3 deg to TDC and runs ok. Posts I have read some guys have there’s anywhere from 5 deg to 12 deg, is it ok to run ours at 3 deg...?
 
I can't imagine you'll have much power running at 3°

Have you checked the tdc mark is actually tdc?
 
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Can I just point out that with a worn engine you cant rely on factory settings as the dizzy drive etc etc will be worn and you have to advance to compensate so your 6 degrees could be 4 or even 2 allowing for wear.
Advance it up till it pinks under load on the road then drop it back a bit you'll be fine
 
Wrong way round, to advance, increase the number of degrees before tdc :)
I would expect wear to retard the ignition taking it closer to tdc
 
From another site:
''Its also worth noting that the best ignition timing in any given engine, is to achieve the most advance it can tolerate without pinking. ( Audible pre-ignition).

This is achieved by setting your V8 timing to about 4 deg. BTDC (assuming you've been through the distributor check list completely). Then tighten the distributor so that you can (with effort) still turn it by hand. ideally put a tip-ex mark or small scratch on the distributor body and engine block to record this spot.

Next road test the car and simulate high load by quickly shifting into a high gear or if Auto allow to change quickly up to 3rd or 4th Ideally you need to find a small hill or incline, now if you apply full throttle the engine should respond without pinking, find a safe place to pull over, open the bonnet and turn the distributor through a couple of degrees only, anticlockwise, this will add slightly more advance timing and if you do the same test, and repeat it until pinking is noticed you will be very close to your absolute best timing criteria

So now all you need to do is turn the distributor clockwise by the same amount by an amount to counteract the last adjust, retest for the absence of pinking and that the job done, you will have just achieved the best maximum timing position for your car''


Done by that method mine - 1986 Flapper 3.5 EFi - is at 6 deg BTDC according to the pointer & marks on the crank pulley. The LR factory manual says mine should be TDC+/-1deg.
Noticeably better at 6 & it's been at that since just after I bought it in 1994 so you're not going to do any harm.
 
From another site:
''Its also worth noting that the best ignition timing in any given engine, is to achieve the most advance it can tolerate without pinking. ( Audible pre-ignition).

This is achieved by setting your V8 timing to about 4 deg. BTDC (assuming you've been through the distributor check list completely). Then tighten the distributor so that you can (with effort) still turn it by hand. ideally put a tip-ex mark or small scratch on the distributor body and engine block to record this spot.

Next road test the car and simulate high load by quickly shifting into a high gear or if Auto allow to change quickly up to 3rd or 4th Ideally you need to find a small hill or incline, now if you apply full throttle the engine should respond without pinking, find a safe place to pull over, open the bonnet and turn the distributor through a couple of degrees only, anticlockwise, this will add slightly more advance timing and if you do the same test, and repeat it until pinking is noticed you will be very close to your absolute best timing criteria

So now all you need to do is turn the distributor clockwise by the same amount by an amount to counteract the last adjust, retest for the absence of pinking and that the job done, you will have just achieved the best maximum timing position for your car''


Done by that method mine - 1986 Flapper 3.5 EFi - is at 6 deg BTDC according to the pointer & marks on the crank pulley. The LR factory manual says mine should be TDC+/-1deg.
Noticeably better at 6 & it's been at that since just after I bought it in 1994 so you're not going to do any harm.
 
Thanks for the info as per your post this is what I did and it’s running very smoothly, even got rid of most of the back lash in the drive train.... When the timing was out it clonked & banged like a right old donkey..... Thanks for the help much appreciated :)
 
Wrong way round, to advance, increase the number of degrees before tdc :)
I would expect wear to retard the ignition taking it closer to tdc

Need as much advance as you can get without pinking under load, dont want it retarded as it will get hot and be down on power
 
I have an '87 (auto) & the manuf. w/s manual I inherited with the car states the timing should be set at TDC +/- 1 degree.
Despite being low mileage (57k) & annually serviced any advance beyond TDC results in pinking on hard acceleration on an uphill grade.
Switching to 97 RON (the manual states min 94) doesn't seem to make any difference.
 
I have an '87 (auto) & the manuf. w/s manual I inherited with the car states the timing should be set at TDC +/- 1 degree.
Despite being low mileage (57k) & annually serviced any advance beyond TDC results in pinking on hard acceleration on an uphill grade.
Switching to 97 RON (the manual states min 94) doesn't seem to make any difference.
Sounds like something not quite right somewhere! Putting 97 RON in should make some difference
 
Sounds like something not quite right somewhere! Putting 97 RON in should make some difference

That's what I thought, but no big deal. The motor always starts even after standing for up to three weeks in the open, runs well with almost zero oil/coolant consumption, returns 22mpg on a long run at legal speeds & turns heads at classic car shows… what's not to like?
Alright the old girl isn't at it's at it's best on hills, but then what factory spec classic is, especially in auto form.
 

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