40 degrees initial timing?

[70sboomerguy]

Hello all,

I have a timing question, could use an assist.

73 Rallye Charger born with 400, now a 440. I have an FBO plate set at 14 degrees, 1 light spring, 1 medium.

I set my timing light to 0 and the mark on the dampner shows advanced. When I bring the timing marks together using the up key on the timing light it reads to 40 degrees advanced at 750 rpm.

I intended to have 18 initial and 14 mechanical advance for 32.

It runs & starts fine so, I'm wondering if I'm simply reading it wrong or maybe the dampner is marked wrong, although the mark is cut into the dampner.

The distributor is as far left (retarded) as I can go as the dashpot is limited by the hard fuel line.

I'm chasing away gremlins as this was in storage for a few years. I'm not convinced the distributor is installed correctly. The #1 wire on the distributor is positioned on the 3rd position to the left of the bottom distributor clip.

Not sure best path forward...
Thanks for any advice/Dennis

[DynoDave]

Is this an old factory damper? If so, perhaps the outer ring has slipped?

I've read on more than one occasion that rather than worrying about a final timing number, let the engine tell you where it's happy. If that's really 40* BTDC or not, if it's happy, then I guess it's "right"?

[70sboomerguy]

Hello DynoDave, Thanks for the reply

It is the original dampner and it slipping never would have occured to me.

After looking thru paperwork from the previous owner he said that my 440 has a "mild" cam. I'm not sure exactly how mild.

Further, I had the dashpot running off of manifold vacuum. I changed it to ported off of the carb. That helped a bit.

I also have my FBO plate set to 14 degrees with one light spring and one medium spring.

Its possible a combination of all 3 factors may be causing the higher timing reading at idle.

It's running great, nice idle easy starting & moves out well so I think I'm going to take your advice Dave and let the engine be happy.

Thanks/Dennis