Ignition Timing debacle?

Hello gents,

I have finally gotten to start my vehicle after what has been at least a year and 7 month adventure. While my excitment to hear it run is still very fresh and, I feel like ralphie from Christmas story getting to unwrap his Red Ryder carbine-action two-hundred-shot range air rifle, I've noticed a boggling issue that I feel I may be over thinking. I set the timing for IGNITION advance at 6° BTDC and the vehicle sounds as though it wants to die, so I advance is a little more till it sounds like it's idling properly. This puts me at 12° BTDC. Now this wouldn't normally bother me but the repair manually says that '62 with a stick, such as my car, should only have 6° and the autos get 12°. Am I over thinking things?
Should I re-adjust the idle so it's higher?

Thanks for any help,
Darrian

Mine has always run smoothest at about 10. It could be a bazillion things, from carb to vacuum pulling on the advance, to advance spring tension, distributor or timing chain off, and so on. Those things will drive me crazy if I think about them too much. I say if it runs smooth, seems to have enough power, and doesn't detonate-go with it.

It's probably the carb being worn and/or modern fuel. Have you set the points with a dwell meter if you have points? Should be 35-38 degrees. My 170 liked a lot of advance. Did you verify the timing mark on the balancer with a piston stop during the rebuild? You're better off with more advance and less on the idle screw imo b/c of modern fuel. It will help prevent run on and keep you in the idle circuit when tuning. It should run @ 0 timing and should run ok @ 6 btdc. If the timing marks are good, look to the carb or ignition.

Hi,X2, I would let the engine tell you what it wants, as you are finding out. If you advance the timing more the idle will go up, which is fine as long as it doesn't ping and knock under load. When you're done with the timing you will probably have to lower the idle. As mentioned, make sure the points are set to specs because dwell affects timing, but timing does not affect dwell. Get the Falcon Performance Handbook to get the most out of your engine. Good luck

Thanks for all the replies! I've converted it to electronic ignition via pertrnoix kit so dwell isn't a factor for me, I have the vacuum line to the distributor disconnected though I didn't plug the port when setting timing initially so that would have some effect on idle quality. Ill stick to 10 to 14 degrees mainly because that's what it seems to like best, I've also gone with a range colder plug to help reduce knock / detonation.

Mine is a 250 and I had my initial set at 16 or more - just by ear. It loved it. But when I set the total advance at 38 at 3000 rpm, the initial settled back in at about 4 degrees at idle! Starts Ok and it loves the 38 degree total - Seems too me 4 degrees advance at idle is low but as a starting point it's good.