Finally Timed the 7.3 IDI

[FoolhardyIDI]

Wow what a deference it makes to have this engine timed. So I used my neighbors kent moore j33300 pulse timer. When I first hooked everything up to check to see what my starting point was. It was at 5 BTDC. It ran good or so I thought. Timed it to 8 BTDC and the engine sounds pissed off now. What a deference 3 degrees makes. Shifts better, gets up and goes better, and power all the way through the rpm range now.

 

[icanfixall]

Well I'm not sure the posting is correct. Our engines run best with
BEFORE top dead center timing using the pulse method or whats been called the clamp type timing. Are you using the the term advanced for the before tdc timing? If so you had your timing at 5 degrees advanced and moved it to 8 degrees advance. Generally speaking when anyone sees the term ATDC that means retarded timing or AFTER top dead center. Thats the timing used when you are using the luminosity probe type timing.

 

[IDIoit]

when i got the engine swap done in mine, i thought to myself "alright, i can get used to this.
After i had Calvin time it, i thought " holy Sh!* this thing is a bada$s!

 

[FoolhardyIDI]

Yes sorry it was 5 degrees advanced then I corrected it to 8 degrees advanced. That you for catching that Icanfixall

 

[icanfixall]

Usually I catch things like this and attempt a correction. When a person refers to the right or left side of an engine or truck I try to help by asking is that the passenger or drivers side. That helps more than knowing right or left. One of the first members to use my meters contacted me with issues during timing. So I asked him which cylinder he was using for the clamp. answer was number one on the drivers side... Now that took considerable convincing to get him to understand he was on the wrong side and the wrong cylinder. He was on cylinder number 2 but thought that was number one. Took time changing his mind. Finally got him to remove the dirt on the intake port runner and see the cylinder numbers cast into the intake at the head. Same thing is happening over on the Auburn Cord Duesenberg site I am on. In the 810 or 812 Cord cars the engine in placed backwards in the frame because its a front wheel drive car. Then the cylinder arrangement is from the front which actually turns out to be the back of the engines counting from the flywheel cylinders 1,2,3,4. But they call it right or left. Talk about confusing removing the cam rockers and valves. Then trying to remove the cam normally out thru the timing chain end which is the firewall end of the engine.. Can't be done. turns out the cam bearing journals are smaller at the timing chain end of the block. Makes for all kinds of thinking ahead when working on this engine. Still happy you got the engine timed and its running better. Members just can't believe a few degrees of timing change can make such huge performance changes to the idi engine.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

go a little farther. I set all mine to 9-9.5 run great!

 

[icanfixall]

Suggesting more advance is a good idea. What I suggest to those using my meters is to make several timing marks with a center punch tool. then after you have returned my meter you can change the timing without the need of any meter. Saves you money and my meters.

 

[sjwelds]

And yet I'm running at 6 degrees and like it. I say try a few different places before you send the meter back. And yes, N/A and turbocharged are often timed to different settings.

 

[dunk]

Mine was at 6.5* when I got it and going to 9* made a huge difference in power. Also gained over 2 MPG. It's still slow, but tolerable and much more pleasant to drive. At some point I'll try 9.5* or 10* and expect improvements. It runs pretty good on cold advance. My understanding is any more than 10* or so and glow plug damage becomes a problem.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

during the last Pa rally, we tested my truck on the dyno with meter hooked up. ran it at 8.5, made ok power and tq. bumped to 9.5, gained 13 hp and 30 some ft lbs. set to 10.5, hp stayed the same, lost 20 ft lbs. so I always set every truck I time between 9 and 9.5. never had one complaint yet.

 

[FoolhardyIDI]

I will go back down to my neighbors house and ask to use his meter again. I will take it to 9 BTDC.

 

[icanfixall]

I have posted a video of my engine running something like 11.4 advance. I did not set it that advanced but it showed up like that when I was testing a meter I have. Checked it with another meter and it was the same. So it slipped somehow. They run that far advanced but its ******* them just the same. At towcats one weekend I was timing everyones truck. One came to me at get this negative 4 degrees retarded. Sounds like a big block gasser when it was running before we "fixed that"...