Setting the timing on a chevy small block. PT 3

Part Three
Setting the initial timing on a Chevy small block. I have set the timing on over a hundred small blocks, and rebuilt many a classic chevy, for a time it is what I did for a living. This is a THREE part guide on how to set the initial timing. I am very repetitive, and go slowly over this process. Find top Dead Center of your #1 cylinder, line up your rotor with a cap tower, that tower is number one. Run spark plug wire from #1 tower to #1 cylinder, then go around the cap from there. This is for Chevy small blocks, the order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. Hopefully this helps someone. Thanks for viewing.

For those of who you watched all three and want to tell me I am wrong, this won't set TDC, make a video of your own, tell me how you set TDC, if you use a vacuum gauge it's the same thing as feeling the piston stroke your just watching gauge tell you where you at versus a dowel or wire. And I am going to start deleting, wait I have deleted some already, comments that state the advance for certain engines. Cam, Dizzy, and vacuum advance cannisters, will change what you should set the advance at! So don't tell everyoneto set thier 350 at X, when with a bigger cam X won't be right. And if I get one more moron telling me the firing order is wrong I will send them a bus ticket to come here so I can personally slap them in the head.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Timing
• chevy
• small
• block

[91firebird91]

this is pry a dumb question but do u take one spark plug out at a time n do it? or take all of em out

[ortamenx]

Well you take out the number one plug to set the TDC. To make it easier to turn over you can loosen them all, that way you don't have to crank the engine by hand under compression.

[nygiantswinner]

Thanks for the vid. I had forgot to line up the number 1 wire to the #1 cylinder and was 180 degrees off. You know what that means... POOW. Fire out the carb. I set TDC via the timing mark on the damper . I set #1 to the #1 cyl and backfired a little and had to retard it some. Now it runs!!! Thanks Ortamenx!!!

[ortamenx]

No problem. Glad it's running.

[schrankm]

@ted850760 does his engine look like an ls1?

[ted850760]

@schrankm LS1 18736542

[ted850760]

@schrankm LS 1 18736542

[schrankm]

@ted850760 don't be a smartass trying to correct someone when you're wrong.

[schrankm]

@ted850760 bullshit. all chevy small block V8s used the same firing order. look it up for the 302. it's 18436572

[ted850760]

@schrankm wrong...dz 302

[sjohnson4756]

Thanks for posting this

[silicon212]

@ortamenx Just be careful - just simply having the #1 at TDC does not guarantee that #1 is TDC on the compression stroke. You can have your distributor out 180 degrees. Depending on the cam, both valves may look closed on #1 at TDC on the exhaust stroke. I always take the even valve cover off and try to rotate the pushrods on cyl #6, either intake or exhaust. If one or both do not freely turn, then #1 is on compression stroke.

[WilliamMiloh]

Ortamenx: Good job man: Ignore the haters. I've built well over 200 SBC's and see nothing wrong with your discription. It would be preferable to have the #1 tower aimed twards the #1 plug but totally not a must. The dist don't give a flying crap where it's located as long as it's wired right. and the wires reach. And there is no need for a timing light until you start it up and adjust your advance or retard. No need for argument from haters I know what I'm talking about.