Scribd
Upload
235 views5 pages

Ignition Timing Explained - Timing An Unknown Engine

1) Ignition timing refers to the timing of the spark relative to the piston's position in the cylinder. It is controlled by adjusting the distributor. 2) At idle, the spark needs to occur very near top dead center for maximum efficiency. Too advanced or retarded timing will reduce power and efficiency. 3) At higher speeds, more advance is needed to allow enough time for full combustion as combustion takes longer and the piston moves faster through the cylinder. Too much advance or retard causes various problems.

Uploaded by

Mohsin Munawar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
235 views5 pages

Ignition Timing Explained - Timing An Unknown Engine

1) Ignition timing refers to the timing of the spark relative to the piston's position in the cylinder. It is controlled by adjusting the distributor. 2) At idle, the spark needs to occur very near top dead center for maximum efficiency. Too advanced or retarded timing will reduce power and efficiency. 3) At higher speeds, more advance is needed to allow enough time for full combustion as combustion takes longer and the piston moves faster through the cylinder. Too much advance or retard causes various problems.

Uploaded by

Mohsin Munawar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Ignition Timing Explained/Timing an Unknown EngineIgnition

Timing
Explained/Timing an Unknown Engine
by Michael Shiffer
There has been a lot of mail concerning how to set timing with an
unknown
engine. I think a basic description of timing might help sort out a
lot of this.
irst! you should know that there are two types of timing in an
engine" cam
timing and ignition timing. #Three types! if you count in$ector
pulse! but
in$ection timing on gasoline%powered busses is tied to ignition
timing and is
not separately ad$ustable so I will ignore it! as should you.& 'am
timing is
what determines when the (al(es open and close with respect to
the position of
the pistons in their bores. It is set when the engine is built% by
placing the
camshaft and crankshaft in the correct relationship. It cannot be
ad$usted on a
stock engine. It doesn)t change" if it was right once it will be right
for the
life of the engine! barring disaster. *nd by disaster I mean the
park%it%where%stops%rolling kind of disaster. #This is a (ery rare
occurrence in
+, air%cooled engines. -ot so rare in the .abbit//olf ones! which
dri(e the cam
with a rubber belt which strips if you don)t change it on schedule.&
In sum" cam
timing is not connected with or affected by turning the distributor.
,hat
distributors time is spark! or ignition. ,hy0
*t idle! your engine is turning relati(ely slowly! let)s say 1222
rpms. The
throttle is closed! so (ery little fuel and air are being drawn in to
the
cylinders. This small amount of combustible mixture burns (ery
3uickly! so for
maximum efficiency! the spark needs to start when the piston is
(ery near top
dead center. If the spark comes too early #too ad(anced&! the
pressure from the
ignited mixture will hit the piston while it is still coming up the
cylinder and
be wasted trying to sho(e the piston down before it reaches the
end of it)s
tra(el. If you try to start an engine whose ignition timing is too
ad(anced! the
starter will try to turn the crank one way! and the combustion
process will try
to turn it the other way! and it will seem as if the starter hasn)t
enough oomph
to start it. 'ontrariwise! if the timing is set too late #too retarded&!
the
pressure from the ignited mixture #and the power deri(ed
therefrom& will
dissipate as the flame front chases the piston down the cylinder
bore in the
rapidly diminishing pressure of the combustion chamber. In other
words! the
piston is already on it)s way towards the bottom of it)s stroke!
reducing the
effecti(eness of combustion. The is (ery fuel inefficient! since a
larger
throttle opening at idle #set by the idle speed screw& is needed
allow extra
fuel in to keep the engine idling. In practical terms! the position of
the
distributor which yields the highest idle speed is within a (ery few
degrees of
where it should be set. #If you retard the timing about 4 degrees
from this
point! you will be awfully close to spot%on.& 5f course! this
assumes your
carburetor #or .I.&is working well and that the idle mixture is
correct.
,hen dri(ing on the highway! your engine)s timing re3uirement is
different. *t
higher engine speeds! larger throttle openings and greater loads
than idle! you
need ignition ad(ance. There are two reasons for this. irst! you
are burning
more fuel so complete combustion takes longer. Second! the
combustion time! as a
percentage of the time the piston is at or near top dead center is
much longer
because of the piston speed. ,hat this means is that you ha(e to
ignite the
charge earlier! while the piston is still coming up! in order to get
the full
benefit of the pressure against the piston at the right time. Too
early or too
late timing will ha(e a similar effect at speed as at idle! but greatly
magnified and with far more destructi(e potential. Too retarded
timing will gi(e
low power! lousy emissions and excessi(e bore wear. Timing too
ad(anced will
cause pinging #a rattling noise usually heard on acceleration&!
o(erheating
cylinder heads and other problems too scary to contemplate.
I will now pretend that (acuum ad(ance doesn)t exist. It will only
confuse
things.
6istributors ha(e little weights inside that swing away from the
shaft as it
turns faster. *s they mo(e out! they rotate the upper part of the
shaft which
passes through the plate that the points are bolted to so that the
rubbing block
which opens the points meets the lobes which hit it #and thus
open the points& a
little earlier. *t what engine speed this ad(ance begins! at what
rate it
ad(ances and at what engine speed it stops ad(ancing is
determined by the shape
and mass of the ad(ance weights and the strength of their return
springs7 at
what degree of ad(ance it stops is determined by a limiter on the
plate to which
the weights are bolted . -one of this is meant to be ad$usted" the
manufacturer
sets it up for each engine family it builds! based on compression!
cam profile!
octane re3uirements and a(ailability! among other things. Timing
the ignition!
then! is a matter of getting the timing correct at one end #idle or
full
ad(ance& and letting the rest of the range look after itself.
If you ha(e a stock distributor and know either the timing at idle or
the
maximum ad(ance at a gi(en engine speed and you ha(e a good
timing light! you
will ha(e no trouble setting timing. If not! here are some ways to
get in the
ball park. I already mentioned that the highest idle speed is (ery
slightly
ad(anced from correct. If you set it there and hear no pinging on
acceleration
and get good power #ha%ha&! you are good. If it pings! retard it
little by
little until the pinging goes away. If it seems weak! ad(ance the
timing a
little at a time until you hear pinging or find the engine hard to
start! then
retard it again.

You might also like