I am new to this v8 engine.
It has a performance cam in there of some kind.
I don't think the timing is set right.
There is a mark on the balancer and a tab. Would that be 0* and I would have to add to that?
Should I buy a timing tape and put that on the balancer?
What should be the final timing or close to what it should be with performance cam?

Later switching out and want to put a stock cam or rv cam as it is pretty gutless down low right at cruising speed however maybe having proper timing would fix.that

 

Start with 12 degrees btdc and go from there. Advance it until the engine starts to "ping" under mild acceleration and the back it off a degree or two.

 

There are two marks. One on the balancer and another tab. When those are lined up does that mean tdc?

 

I Advanced the timing, don't know how much because there is only one timing marks to line up but it is running a little better.

 

If you can't find the marks or get a timing light don't sweat it.
Just keep turing it up a littel at a time till it pings like gary said then back it off till it doesn't.

 

I got caned just recently on another forum for saying I dont use a timing light, BUT static time them to start with. I even tried advancing the timing while running, just use gloves or something so you dont get a boot off of the HT leads and dont get wrapped up in the fan or belts. Did the old "advance it till it wont rev any higher at idle and that will be sweet trick" for more power but kicked back on the starter like crazy so no good, did go better on propane with no ping but didn't try on petrol (gas). If it starts well when warm and doesnt ping you would be awfully close.

 

I went through this same issue with my 400.

Like the others said since you have a light and can see reference marks but dont know what they add up to. Advance the mark by one line each time till you get the ping. Then retard it two and you will for the most part be in the running timing wise.

That is what my truck needed and it made a huge difference.

 

Thats what I did,

Runs better. I come from the world of lap top tuning with standalone engine management systems. Going to a distributor where you "feel" for timing is a little strange concept for me.

I still don't know what to think of this 400m yet...

 

Welcome to the first 100 years of automotive technology.

 

Here is a thread all about a build up on this engine.

351M/400 Performance Build Up

How We Got Over 500hp from Ford's 400M Engine - Hot Rod Magazine

And Tim or Tom Meyers I think that is his name has a machine shop that specializes in this engine and has some good stuff there too.

http://www.tmeyerinc.com/

But yes, this engine can be built up huge and is a good choice for towing in lue of an engine swap.

 

There is a Read First Sticky at the top with all kinds of good info in it, I'm not going to repeat here what is there....

 

I simply made sure I have timing marks up to 35 degrees BTC on my balancer that are clear and easy to see. As I recall, I think I just made sure what was there was clear? Pretty sure it was factory marked in shorter 2 degree segments between the tens to 30 or 34 degrees. I did add a mark half way between the factory marked 0 & 10 and 10 & 20 and 20 & 30 and then that far above the 30 for 15, 25, and 35 degrees. Too cold to go look now. My 400 balancer is also marked.

Pull vacum, speed motor up until centrifugal advance stops advancing, set timing at 34 degrees with lightso that total mechanical advance is that 34 degrees.

By all acounts of what I've read, these engines like 34 degrees total under load. Mine seems happy at 34 anyway, it pinged and burnt some valves a few years back when I tried higher.
Hook vac hose back up, check to see vacum diaphram is working, done.

Vacum hooked up it'll go up into the 40s under light load / coasting at speed for good mileage but when you mash down on the go peddle, vacume dies, timing drops back for load.

My distributor has a advance kit in it which let's mechanical advance come in sooner so the stock low idle timing specs result in what is actually retarded timing since the advance has started then.