Timing tips???

[dubie]

I am borrowing a buddies timing gun tonight and see if I can get this timing right. I have seen them in use before but have never done it myself. Can you guys give me any step by step tips?

[BOSS]

Just hook it on the number one plug wire,then atach the positive and negitive to the battery terminals.You should be able to see the marks on the crank,Anything else let me know.

[Chevy67Tk]

1. disconnect & plug vacuum advance
2. connect timing light to battery and hook induction clamp to #1 plug wire
3. A). If you light is the advance type (has dial or buttons on back) mark your balancer at the 0 deg. Mark and set dial to the amount of advance you want.
B). Non advance type you mark your balancer at the desired advance you want.
4. Loosen distributor hold down enough to turn but not turn on its own.
5. Start and allow engine warm up to operating temp and running at low idle
6. Aim gun at timing tab and line up your marks by turning the distributor
A.) if using advance type of light the light delays the flash by the amount of degrees that you dialed in and fires it at TDC.
B.) The non advance light fires when the plug fires so you need to use the proper mark on the tab or balancer
7. Shut down engine
8. Tighten dizzy
9. Hook up vac. Advance

[crazy longhorn]

as far as actual setting, set it where it "lites off"the best, & setup your ign curve around that. on the HEI, somewhere in the range of 8 to 12 BTDC seems to work pretty well.....the hotter the cam, the more initial timing the little chev's seem to like. If you havent recurved, Crane puts out a nice adjustable vac advance can , with different springs for the mech curve(also very good instructions). Good luck,crazyL