advance ignition timing will often cause an engine to run hot
A mark is placed somewhere on the crankshaft to indicate this position and labeled ZERO DEGREES OR TDC. This mark is used to set the ignition timing. The spark advance varies as to engine speed, but it is set to an initial base setting, called BASE TIMING.This is measured in DEGREES BEFORE TOP DEAD CENTER. In a manual, or on a sticker under the hood, you'll see something like this: IGNITION TIMING: 12 DEG.BTDC. mark is placed somewhere on the crankshaft to indicate this position and labeled ZERO DEGREES OR TDC. This mark is used to set the ignition timing. The spark advance varies as to engine speed, but it is set to an initial base setting, called BASE TIMING. This is often the case on higher mileage engines. If you have to advance the ignition timing a lot to make an engine run, it probably has a bad timing chain and bad VALVE timing. Newer vehicles have their ignition and fuel controlled partly or entirely by the vehicle computer. mark is placed somewhere on the crankshaft to indicate this position and labeled ZERO DEGREES OR TDC. This mark is used to set the ignition timing. The spark advance varies as to engine speed, but it is set to an initial base setting, called BASE TIMING. If the spark occurs too late, the maximum cylinder pressure will occur too late, thus not converting the gasoline energy into power, but wasting it as heat that the cooling system must get rid of. If the ignition timing is incorrect, not only will the engine run too hot but it won t have the power it should.An incorrect air/fuel mixture can also cause an overheating problem; a lean air/fuel mixture will cause an engine to create more heat than a rich air/fuel mixture. distributor test stand is much easier because you can run the distributor at 6000 engine rpm or more without the fear of hurting an engine. In many cases a distributor may still be advancing the timing well above 6000 RPM; therefore the advance curve must be checked at all the rpm ranges the engine will be used in! What Happens When the Timing Is Advanced It has long been held, and demonstrated at the Club's Dyno Days, that advancing the timing to 13 to 14 degrees before top dead centre (BTDC) is a cheap way of achieving lower rpm performance in the Mazda MX-5 1.6 litre cars.hen you change the timing from 10 degrees BTDC to 14 degrees BTDC you actually move the point where the spark is fired from 350 degrees of rotation to 346 degrees of rotation of the crank. Imagine the end of the crank being a clock dial with 12 o'clock being 0 degrees. The hot rod advance curve we see used most on a 9-1 compression engine is 10 to 12 degrees initial timing plus 22 to 24 engine degrees of additional advance from the mechanical advance mechanism; the advance in most cases is in the 3500 rpm range. distributor test stand is much easier because you can run the distributor at 6000 engine rpm or more without the fear of hurting an engine. In many cases a distributor may still be advancing the timing well above 6000 RPM; therefore the advance curve must be checked at all the rpm ranges the engine will be used in! Air / Fuel Mixture. A lean fuel mixture (too little fuel for the amount of air in the cylinder) can cause an engine to stumble or give a rough idle as well as to run too hot, overheat, and cause a lack of power as well as engine failure.f the carburetor is supplying too lean of an air/fuel mixture, the engine will run sluggish, overheat or the lean mixture could cause engine damage. If the carburetor is supplying an air/fuel mixture that is too rich, the engine may tend to load up, foul the spark plugs, run sluggish and lack power. If you do not set the curve in the distributor, the engine will not run up to its potential. If you are running an OEM (original equipment) distributor that has been rebuilt by a factory, there is no knowing what vacuum and mechanical advance curves have been used. distributor test stand is much easier because you can run the distributor at 6000 engine rpm or more without the fear of hurting an engine. In many cases a distributor may still be advancing the timing well above 6000 RPM; therefore the advance curve must be checked at all the rpm ranges the engine will be used in! Ignition timing, in a spark ignition internal combustion engine (ICE), is the process of setting the angle relative to piston position and crankshaft angular velocity that a spark will occur in the combustion chamber near the end of the compression stroke.he ignition timing is also dependent on the load of the engine with more load (larger throttle opening and therefore air:fuel ratio) requiring less advance (the mixture burns faster). Also it is dependent on the temperature of the engine with lower temperature allowing for more advance. In order to set an initial timing advance or timing retard for an engine, the engine is allowed to idle and the distributor is adjusted to achieve the best ignition timing for the engine at idle speed. This process is called 'setting the base advance'.he ignition timing is also dependent on the load of the engine with more load (larger throttle opening and therefore air:fuel ratio) requiring less advance (the mixture burns faster). Also it is dependent on the temperature of the engine with lower temperature allowing for more advance. The function of this part is to completely shut off all fuel to the engine when you turn off the ignition. On a carbureted engine you may otherwise find a run-on solenoid. The function of this part is to completely shut off the air intake at the carb when you turn off the ignition.he function of this part is to completely shut off all fuel to the engine when you turn off the ignition. On a carbureted engine you may otherwise find a run-on solenoid. The function of this part is to completely shut off the air intake at the carb when you turn off the ignition.
If the ignition timing is incorrect, not only will the engine run too hot but it won t have the power it should.An incorrect air/fuel mixture can also cause an overheating problem; a lean air/fuel mixture will cause an engine to create more heat than a rich air/fuel mixture.