1988 Chevy Pick up Timing

[KUSTUM32]

I have 1988 chevy pick up 1500 5.7L and i dont know what the timing is supposed to be and i have already tried reading the paper on the front of the engine but its unreadable and i have searched the internet and couldnt find anything. If anyone knows what it is please help!

[Cas]

The timing should be set at zero degrees, But I usually set mine @ 3 or 4 BTDC

[KUSTUM32]

Thank you so much Cas, i will try it at one of those.

[rpage]

Mine was at 0 degrees and it barely ran, I set mine by hear, then tested the timing and it is around 5 degrees btdc. Good luck

[quaddriver]

Originally Posted by rpage

Mine was at 0 degrees and it barely ran, I set mine by hear, then tested the timing and it is around 5 degrees btdc. Good luck

these reports of off timing worry me, the ESC/EST system needs o*BTDC to determine a reference pulse for not only timing but injection - even on TBI. And the spark tables do indeed include up to 36* advance is no KS counts.... And trust me, the ECM will try for the most advance it can get, if you are seeing no advance when hooked up, something else is wrong. sure you are using the proper reference point on the marker?

[TEXAS-HOTROD]

For my performance minded customers, I usually add a couple degrees advance to a TBI system. If you go too far and the ecm picks up a knock signal, all those efforts are canceled out due to spark retard. The only way to benefit from advanced timing is to run better fuel.
I had one customer try to advance timing on a Vortec (crank triggered) 350 and it screwed his system out of wack. Always be careful w/what you do.
No one mentioned anything about unplugging the timing connector when shooting the marks.
---TEX---