Bossman27

Hello all, I have a newb question about total timing. I know that initial timing plus however far the EEC advances the timing is considered the "total" timing. I've heard that 5.0's EEC advances the timing automatically by 20 degrees in stock form and this occurs before 3000 RPM. So anyway, I was checking my timing and my initial timing with the spout connector removed was 4 degrees BTDC. It's supposed to be 10 at least, so I bumped it up to 10. The car drove a lot better. I then started bumping it up by 2 degrees and taking for a test drive. I got it clear to 20 degrees and it was driving fine and the throttle response was getting better and better.

My question is that I don't really know what "pinging" feels like and I don't want to detonate my motor so I backed it back down to 14 degrees initial. How can I really tell if I've got my timing advanced too far? Also, I read on another ford site that 5.0's with 9.5:1 to 10.5:1 compression should have no more total timing than 36 degrees. So if the chip is advancing 20 degrees, that means no more than 16 degrees initial. What is your take on this? I want my car to perform but I don't want to get into the danger zone of running too much timing.

TrimDrip

the more timing you add the less mph the car will make on top end at the track. I would leave about where you have it.

Then if you ever bolt on some heads and have it tuned, let the tuner figure out the timing tables.

AdderMk2

12° to 14° tends to be optimum in the fox with the A9L

here is the timing chart for said ECM



as you can see, timing gets pulled in the upper RPM's anyway.

but I wouldnt go past 14 myself

Bossman27

Ok cool, this is good info, thanks for posting that table. I'll leave it at 14 degrees and be done with it. It runs really good there anyway. It ran good enough to smoke a punk in a riced out Honda two days ago that's for sure. THanks!

Bossman27

Just to follow up on this thread. I set my base timing to 14 degrees BTDC and revved up the motor (spout connector in). At about 2700 rpm it is done fully advancing and tops out at 36 degrees of total timing. That's about what all the "experts" say is the sweet spot for a 5.0 with mild work and decent compression.

Just as a side note while I had my timing light and tools out I decided to check the timing on my old beater/parts runner. It's an 85 mercury grand marquis (boat!) with a CFI 5.0 in it. I've always thought that car was just an extreme dog and lived with it being slow as crap. Well I put the timing light to it and at first I throught something was messed up, the light was flashing WAY below the zero, like off the scale below the zero. I checked all my stuff and made sure I unplugged the correct wire for the spout connector (it's got an in-line spout connector). Well my stuff was right, the timing was at 10 degrees or so RETARDED. That can't be right, even from the factory with all the emissions crap in the mid 80's that can't be right. So I jacked it up to about 14 degrees advanced. I don't think it hurt anything. I long ago cut the single exaust off and ran my own duals. It's got open intake and no smog equipment or A/C either. There is litterally NO comparison now to how that car runs. It feels like I've added 50 horsepower or more. The speedo stops at 85 and it used to struggle to get to that, now I had the speedo pointed straight down and coming back up again towards the zero. And it'll kick into the passing gear at 60 mph now, it's actually fun to drive now for a big ole boat. It's total timing is about 38 degrees now. I'm glad I went out and bought a timing light. See ya.

holyshift

Ok dont mean to steal your thread...sorry, but I want to check my timing to make sure it is adv. The only mark on my balancer is TDC...yes Ive sanded the crap out of it...no other marks. So my question is which side of the mark is adv. and which side ret.? Pics would help....Thanks Guys

mjr46

^^get a new balancer

AdderMk2

look in the tech articles, in my distributor stabbing thread

Bossman27

Take a wire-wheel on an electric drill to that balancer. It's the thin part of the balancer where the timing marks are. If you can get it clean enough to make out ANY numbers you can then order some timing tape and use that.