timing adjustment

[Chard18]

I hear one of the most common "upgrade"s for my '88 GT is to bump up the timing. How can I go about that on my own? Any other do-it-yourselfer advice you might have.

[GTP Dad]

If the car has a distributer rather than the new type of ignition it is easy to change the timing simply by adjusting the timing with the distributer. Even if it is an electronic ignition car. Get a timing light and watch the marking on the crank shaft damper it should be clearly marked as to which way is advance and which is retarded. You can turn the distributer simply by loosening the adjusting bolt until it will turn free. Be careful not to get too much advance in the engine as you will have a lot of knock especially if you are running pump gas. Changing the timing will give you some added power but be careful not to advance it too far as you may loose power.