Timing help! B6 sohc

[Chobobulous]

Im trying to figure out timing and idle speed for my festiva with a b6 sohc. I originally read 10°btdc with idle speed of 750+-50 and that's what its set at now.

Online Ive seen 750 800 and 850 all +-50 and timing 2° 8° 10° and 12° btdc. What one is correct.

Also the crazy little pin isn't grounding like it should. I ground it and nothing changes.

[TorqueEffect]

These b6 engines must be a pain to get the idle, and timing right. I think it has to do with the festy dizzy, but that is just a guess.

I have always had trouble with my sohc b6.

But the factory settings are 850 +/- 50, with 8° btdc, that's what the Haynes manual for the 323 says.

[drddan]

I wouldn't worry about the exact number of BTDC. I start with it set around 4-6 degrees BTDC and adjust it from there, by ear, and driving it and looking for as much advance as the engine will allow. Many things can effect how much advance needed. (atmosphere conditions, condition of the engine ... etc.)

Advance it until it starts to "detonate", and back off the timing until it stops detonating. This will be the optimum advance setting.

Detonation occurs at low rpm with a load on the engine. Go really slow in 2nd and 3rd gears uphill at low rpm and you will hear a "pinging" sound if the timing is advanced a little to far. That is detonation! Back off the timing with a combination of driving and adjusting timing, until the detonation stops. Best timing achieved!

If you can get 10 BTDC, or more, without detonation .... DO IT!

[zoe60]

I don't know what is correct, but I run mine at 12* BTDC. I could never get my idle quite right with my Weber but when I installed my "86 Escort carb all those problems went away and it starts up immediately now. At WOT on the highway it will bury the speedo at the trip odometer button and keep on accelerating! I swear it will top 110 now but I can't say for sure. It is definitely faster on the top end than it was with the 32/36. I really love that car now. Excellent daily driver.

[Chobobulous]

This is getting irratating. I set it to 850 last night. Today when I turned it on its idling at about 1200. I got my wideband mostly installed. I need to figure out where to mount it. Boy does it go crazy. I feel like im going to have an epileptic seizure watching it. It idles at 14.7 but when im cruising at a set speed it hits 14.everything. the last number never stops moving. Also I was under the impression when you pushed on the gas it should richen up some. Mine goes to 15-16 whatever. Weird. I wonder if I messed something up.

As im typing this im letting the car idle a second to cool the turbo some as not to coke the bearings. It's idling at 750 now.

[Chobobulous]

So still idling at 750. No matter how much I play with it. I pulled the plugs to look at how it was doing and it is quite weird. Half of the plug is white, half of the plug us orange/black. Part of the problem?

[drddan]

^ Pic of said plug?

[bravekozak]

From my playing around with the B6, the minum timing should be about 5°

[Chobobulous]

^ Pic of said plug?

There you are good sir