Okay, just received my first timing light and I'm ready to give it a whirl. Lot's of basic things I haven't done before so I appreciate everyone bearing with me. Where do I find the vacuum advance so that I can disconnect it? I just need to start by learning how to use it and get some basic initial readings, etc. Thanks

The vacuum advance hose is the small black rubber tubing that connects from the can on the distributor and too the carb. Its the carb side you need/want to plug.

No hoses running from the Distributor. It's an MSD dist. The back of the carb was plugged off before I ran the pcv hose to it.

see what you have at slow idle maybe 5 or 10 BTDC and you might check your total advance by making a mark 2&1/4" to the right of the factory slot mark on the harmonic dampener which would be 35.5 degrees checked at ~3000 rpm or so just as long as you are past the rpm point where it wont advance anymore. did you get a dial back light? & no vacuum advance right.

I got one of the Innova 5568 digital units. And I as far as I can tell, no vacuum advance.

So, work with me on this. I'm lost on trying to mark the dampener. Am I doing this because there is no vacuum advance?

Bullit:

You said you had a timing tape installed, right? If yes, you don't need to mark the damper - that's what the timing tape is for.

Here's the deal with marking the damper. If you don't have a timing light with dialback, you'll rev the engine and, because of the mechanical advance, the timing mark will move out of sight. If you have a timing light with dialback, you just crank back the offest on the timing light one degree at a time until your timing mark is at zero (you'll see some markings on a plate that protrudes partly over the damper). Read the timing off the light while the timing mark is at zero and that's your timing at whatever RPM the engine is turning at that moment.

Timing tapes (and marking the damper) are for use if you don't have a dialback timing light. Whatever number of degrees (as seen on the timing tape) is in alignment with zero on the aforementioned tab that protrudes partly over the damper is your timing at that particular RPM. You should rev the engine and see the timing go from, say, 15 degrees, to maybe 35 degrees.

Make sense?

Do you have a light with a variable timing setup within it? Can you adjust something to advance the light itself? I have one thats great because I can set the dial on it to whatever advance I want and then when the dampner says 0 degrees advance Ive got whatever timing is on the light. Unfortunately its actually my dads and about 20 years old and reads 3-7 degrees off! So i had to pick up a cheapie from autozone for 50 bucks that just reads straight up and I have to use the tab on the side of my dampner. Its alright for my car but for one like my buddies Mustang that doesnt have a tab or timing tape youre pretty much guessing with it.

Anyway if youve got no timing tape you want to bring your number on cylinder to top dead center on the power stroke (when it should be sparking) and mark a line right next to your timing tab indicator for top dead center next to the dampner. This is top dead center. You should have a timing tab as I call it use that to help set it, I think they only go to 10 degrees advance so if you need more than that youre out of luck.
Youre going to have to connect your positive and negative to the battery, and then the other clamp wire around the number one cylinder plug wire. Then aim the light at the timing mark and when it flashes whatever the little timing tab reads next to your TDC line is the timing its set at.

Loosen the distributor clamp just enough so that its a little tough to turn the dizzy and slowly move the dizzy until you have the timing you want. Its always easier to do this with two people IMO.

I have a timing tape installed, and here is the exact timing light that I just purchased. Will this light work okay?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000ULZ4E6/interactiveda8614-20

Bullit:

You have a timing tape installed, and you have a timing light with dialback (which will work just fine). You're covered!

In my opinion, it would be easier to not use the dialback feature on the timing light and just read the timing on the timing tape.

See if what is written in all the previous posts makes sense, and shout back if it doesn't.

Also, let us know your timing at idle and at full advance.

Jim