How to find the best ignition timing position without a dyno?

**Limbo** · 14-09-2009 12:07 PM

breeza - yep, warm up car, on a hot day, advance alittle at a time, then thrash it with a/c on. You do it until it pings and then retart 1-2 degrees, try again, until you get the right setting so it doesn't ping. Advancing the time will increase the high rpm not the low. If you want low rpm you wanna retart.

I did this in the day when i didn't have any timing gun etc.... (young & reckless days) it works.

**beeza** · 14-09-2009 12:13 PM

Gotcha!! I was going to buy a timing gun before I did this just so I know where it's at,so I can get it back there but you could put a mark with a white texta on the swivel arm on the dizzy to mark where you stated.Anyways,I will buy a timing light!

But I'm pretty sure advance = low end

http://www.c-speedracing.com/howto/timing/timing.php

"Generally, advancing the timing will give you better throttle response and low end power along with improved fuel economy. Retarding the timing will reduce the chances of detonation and provide a safer condition for boosted motors or N2O motors."

**CRXer** · 14-09-2009 05:18 PM

best timing for a Y4 is full advance,
twist the dizzy as far as it will possibly go.
go fill up with the cheapest,lowest octane fuel u can find.
then go out & give it a good belting & dont let up till u get a result.

when u have achieved this result,u will now have more room in your engine bay for the B with a real gearstick.
u have now gained about 40% more peak power from fully advancing your Y4 :wink:

**GSi_PSi** · 14-09-2009 05:33 PM

i duno how you can notice the difference in advancing the timing in a dseries. If it was turbo different story but its n/a turtle performance

**JohnL** · 14-09-2009 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by Limbo

......You do it until it pings and then retart 1-2 degrees, try again, until you get the right setting so it doesn't ping.

It's possible to tune by 'ping', but it can be dangerous because the ping isn't always audible, especially at higher rpm, so you may possibly over advance it quite a bit before you hear any pinging. Quite severe detonation can be inaudible at higher rpm...

Besides, it is only a rough means because just shy of pinging isn't necessarily the timing that will give peak power, though it's likely to be reasonably close. Only a dyno or very carefully conducted / controlled timed runs will really do what you want, and with a stock engine any gain over the stock timing setting will only be slight at best...

**Limbo** · 15-09-2009 12:04 AM

like i said, did in the days when i was 'young and reckless' i've pass those times.

I'd recommend a proper ecu and a tune, but then everyone goes through the phase at one stage

**02gzm** · 15-09-2009 09:50 AM

How long until the emanage goes in? 'Cos the tuner will end up readjusting the timing when they install the piggyback anyway.

**beeza** · 15-09-2009 09:55 AM

Well I just bought a timing light,so I will advance it 1 degree and take it for a drive,1 more degree,take it for a drive.I don't want to go past 2-3degrees advancement.So stock is 12deg BTDC,so 9-10deg BTDC

Will post results!

Thanks Guys.

Originally Posted by CRXer

best timing for a Y4 is full advance,
twist the dizzy as far as it will possibly go.
go fill up with the cheapest,lowest octane fuel u can find.
then go out & give it a good belting & dont let up till u get a result.

when u have achieved this result,u will now have more room in your engine bay for the B with a real gearstick.
u have now gained about 40% more peak power from fully advancing your Y4 :wink:

Haha ya nutter!

Originally Posted by GSi_PSi

i duno how you can notice the difference in advancing the timing in a dseries. If it was turbo different story but its n/a turtle performance

O,U haven't been in my car then

**beeza** · 15-09-2009 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by 02gzm

How long until the emanage goes in? 'Cos the tuner will end up readjusting the timing when they install the piggyback anyway.

I haven't got the emanage anymore,so I was thinking to try the timing first then go from there.

The car goes good,after I just collaborated the voltage on the tps and adjusted the FITV and idle/air screw.I had a whole weekend of tinkering with it and it's running really good! Smooth and nice.

The only thing is from a stop it's not exactly smooth,after 4k it opens up,so it's from a stop to 4k in first gear that I'm trying to get more response and a smooth pull.

**CRXer** · 17-09-2009 04:10 PM

prob all those multiple sparks at low rpm is messing with all the excess fuel off the banked injectors....
good ol' Y4....
u can tell its one of my fave motors,cant ya beez...

btw advance will see timing firing sooner BTDC,so 14-15 deg btdc.

**beeza** · 18-09-2009 04:08 PM

Well,I finially bought a timing light and taught myself how to set the timing,too easy!

It was at 2 deg BTDC and should be at 12 deg BTDC.I set it at 10 deg BTDC,so 2 deg advanced and OMG! FINIALLY my car is GREAT!

Not sure how it got there...but I'm onto it now!

I'm sure many of you guys remember my many threads about studdering/hesitation problems?!

They are gome,my car is a different car,bloody brilliant!

**beeza** · 18-09-2009 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by CRXer

prob all those multiple sparks at low rpm is messing with all the excess fuel off the banked injectors....
good ol' Y4....
u can tell its one of my fave motors,cant ya beez...

btw advance will see timing firing sooner BTDC,so 14-15 deg btdc.

HAHA

Is that true,2 deg advance on 12 deg BTDC = 14 deg BTDC?

so BTDC dosent mean negative,i.e -14 deg BTDC?