westcoast25

I got an 89 Mustang and it failed smog because the timing was too far advanced... The computer read that the timing was set at 20 btdc. So I got a timing light and went out to the car to adjust the timing. I removed that little chip on the dizy, made a white out mark on my balancer at the 10 btdc mark and adjusted the timing. However I thought it was supposed to be ccw to retard the timing. I had to rotate the dizy cw to get it set at 10 btdc. It starts up and idles fine, but did I do something wrong? Is it possible my balancer is off. I also have my timing light set to the 0 degrees advancement mark too. Thanks

TrimDrip

I thought clockwise increased the timing too.

If your balancer is off, it will most likely wobble.

How is the computer showing 20 degrees?
This is with the spout out?

Tony71502

It failed from advanced timing? Sounds like something else is wrong with the car.

mattdel

advanced timing will cause it to fail. retard to 6 degrees and go again.

westcoast25

that was just one of the reasons.... , but it's something they check , so it needs adjusted as well

mjr46

if it won't pass at 10 / factory setting then something else is wrong

westcoast25

I took it back with the timing reduced and the I adjusted the fuel pressure to 25 lbs, it passed no problem.

luckythirteen13

you do know that lowing the fuel pressure did nothing, it passed because you lowered the timing. by dropping fuel pressure, the o2's saw this and told the computer which in turn, increased the injector duty cycle to put in the fuel you tried to take out. adjusting fuel pressure only effect afr at wot. if anything, lowering the fuel pressure made it run worse because altho the computer compensated to get you the same afr had you not touched the fuel pressure, the injectors were not able to atomize the fuel as well had you left the fuel pressure where it was to begin with

anyways, glad it passed for ya

westcoast25

I just did that because the previous owner recommended it. It was 3 X the legal limit the first time, and this time it passed with flying colors. Either way it is running like crap now and the fuel pressure is going back to 38 lbs, and the timing is going back to 20 btdc....

mattdel

20 is a crapload of timing. what are the mods in the car?