Mungo Jerry wrote: Snips
If I advance the timing on my car, it gives much better acceleration.
It'll give better acceleration, but you may be burning the pistons/valves by running the ignition advanced.
Will this affect the top speed also ? Should the car be "faster" ?
> I know the timing should be set with a light etc and I`ve tried that as have
> a local garage but the end result was either a distinct lack of power OR
> power with "pinking".
Pinking (pre-ignition) is the ignition advanced too far. If it is retarded, it will give slower acceleration,but will not pink, and will run cooler. Pinking is not a good thing.The cylinders will be getting hotter than normal, and in the worst case, a hole(s) will be burnt in the piston.
> The garage suggested I set the timing using the "trial & error" method! I`ve
> done so and have got the pinking down to a minimum (just a split second of
> it if I change up and accelerate hard immediately).
It shouldnt be pinking at all.You may need a decoke.If the head has never been off on a 10yo car, then I think that would be a certain part of the pinking. Also, it may pay to get a 'cooler' (or is is hotter?) set of plugs.I had this a few years ago with a motorbike - it would always 'pink' with the recommended plugs, but once a cooler set were fitted, it was fine.
But I noticed today that the top speed seems to have reduced slightly. Now I
> suppose this could be down to the fact that a new aux-shaft oil seal has
> increased the oil pressure - but I just don`t know! (previously, the oil was
> really pouring out of this - the garage said that the seal was just hanging
> on the shaft)
I cant see how a leaking oil seal would affect the top/any speed at all.What is a aux-shaft?
> I`m tempted to have another twiddle with the distributor - but just thought
> I`d ask for some opinions here.
Yes, turn it just a little toward TDC, to try to get rid of the pinking.Buy a strobe light and see what it says.If the ignition advance is retarded more than it should be, and it is still pinking, then you'll need to do a decoke to cure it. A DIY decoke shouldnt cost more than £100 for the gaskets and fluids.
Alan.