In August or so, I set my timing to roughly 15-16 initial, and 36 ish all in at 2500 or so, using a msd billet dizzy springs/bushings and such.

Well this morning i checked the timing in idle, warmed up, at initial is like 21!!!! What could have happened? Would this account for the billowing white smoke im getting? (ive never started it up in weather so cold though, so im hoping its condensation)

i checked total, i dunno what rpm its at, and its still around 36-37

i also noticed it seems to be runnin rich, the smoke makes my eyes water!

if total didn't change,, i'd say it's not returning to base timing with the weights,, or sticking slightly. if it's way over advanced and misfiring because of that,,,,,, it could be pumping the unburned fuel out burning your eyes. just thoughts.

Exactly my thoughts, RAT... Sticking advance weights.

Pull the distributor cap and rotor to check things out.

Don't try to adjust the initial timing until make sure the mechanical advance moves freely or you may over-advance the timing and get preignition (knocking) under acceleration. (I fought this problem a couple of years ago myself. The weights tend to get a good rust bloom on them and hang up when these cars sit for a long time.)

I don't like the sound of "billowing white smoke".
I hope it doesn't smell like anti-freeeze... Does it?

well, ill check for a snagged weight or spring....this seems odd to me though because i have an 8 month old msd billet dizzy in there...no reason to suspect its already f'ed up, but ill check none the less


the billowing smoke indeed makes me worried too! im not losing coolant, and it was most def a rich smell....not like antifeeze

okay...so i checked, and nothing is out of place...its a bit rusty in there for 1 yr old, but it looks right.

here's the thing..i checked the timing again, this time making sure it was TOTALLY warm...last time i englected to do so...and initial is at 25 and all in is 38.

What would a car with 25 initial act like?

I am wondering if this old man who i asked to tinker with my carb messed with the advance....

The bushings available for the Pro Billet line of distributors won't allow for only 13* advance. 18* is as low as it will go. Something's hosed up in the centrifugal somehow.

Maybe the springs have lost tension and stretched out. Maybe the advance plate is a little gummed up and doesn't want to return to it's base position.

What would a car with 25 initial act like?

...

My car is running real high initial, about 20-24 and I have 36-38* total. And my car runs like a beast.

your light could be messed up also....check to make sure your harmonic balancer isn't coming apart, the outer sleeve could be slipping out of place

with most cars set at arround 10*-15* initial,, then with the vacuum advance canister hooked up,, will like it to be arround 18*-28* at idle with the canister hooked up. each combo of parts is a little bit different,, but that's a good ball park to shoot for. if it would crank at 20*-25* initial,, then theoretically,, you could curve it for 36* total and run it without the vacuum canister so to speak. some won't crank over with that much initial though. just thoughts.

is the billowing white smoke just at start up? or continuous?

is the billowing white smoke just at start up? or continuous?


its gone, and was just on startup one day it was 10 degrees out....condensation i assume


as far as the timing goes, im not sure what to do. when i take apart this msd billet dizzy, i see the 2 pieces of the rotating assembly to which the springs are attached, when rotating, the appear to ony move, at the tip of the piece, maybe one inch. should these little wing things go out farther than that? sorry for my lack of proper terminology

The car is running great, btw

spread those 'wings' as you say ,, or the centrifigul weights and make it rotate the advance,, then release them slowly and see if they return to the fully closed position. if not,, they're sticking,, or the pivot movement of the shaft where the advance mechanism spins on is a little bit sticky..... maybe just a little lube under the "wings" or flyweights and on their pivots to allow free movement. providing the pivots aren't worn out.

sometimes have to remove the distributor shaft roll pin in the gear and remove the shaft to free up the rotating plate. the area where it pivots on the main shaft is kind of somewhat consealed,, and sometimes easier to soak the removed shaft in the solvent tank for a night to break up/free up the old grease/grime in there. work it back and forth till it's free to movement. should be able to tell if it's free enough without the advance return springs on it. if not,, out it comes and soak the removed shaft. hope it helps.

spread those 'wings' as you say ,, or the centrifigul weights and make it rotate the advance,, then release them slowly and see if they return to the fully closed position. if not,, they're sticking,, or the pivot movement of the shaft where the advance mechanism spins on is a little bit sticky..... maybe just a little lube under the "wings" or flyweights and on their pivots to allow free movement. providing the pivots aren't worn out.

sometimes have to remove the distributor shaft roll pin in the gear and remove the shaft to free up the rotating plate. the area where it pivots on the main shaft is kind of somewhat consealed,, and sometimes easier to soak the removed shaft in the solvent tank for a night to break up/free up the old grease/grime in there. work it back and forth till it's free to movement. should be able to tell if it's free enough without the advance return springs on it. if not,, out it comes and soak the removed shaft. hope it helps.


they seem to go BACK with no problem, but should they only move out 1" or so? I assume theyre hitting the bushing

they seem to go BACK with no problem, but should they only move out 1" or so? I assume theyre hitting the bushing

i'd think that it's hitting the bushing at wide open as well.

hummm. only other thing i can think of is maybe the distributor hold down clamp may have slipped some if it were bumped for some strange reason. only thing is,, usually,, if it's a little bit loose at the hold down clamp bolt,, usually it will retard timing from the direction of the spinning shaft loading inside the housing bushings and usually rotates/turns the housing clockwise. it's different with what you are saying. that it's advancing initial and shortening the curve on it's own. usually it's sticking the weights or shaft pivot when it does that. let me scratch my head for a few. maybe twisted or someone else above will come back in here and shed some more light.

OK I haven't read the whole post, but are you SURE something is messed up. When you are all in at 2500 your advance curve has to start pretty early. If the change in weather or temps have caused you idle RPM to change you are probably just getting into your centrifigal advance at your current idle RPM. Lower your idle a couple hundred RPM and check it again.