Timing with a standard gun

Can you help me?

Is it possible to set the 6 BTDC with a standard gun.

I've set the timing marks on the crank and cam pulley, re-positioned the dizzy so that its pointing at No1.
Start her up and it's a bit rough but running, get my gun out and point and point it at the gearbox and I get the notch, so I advance/retard the timing so that the notch is at the pointer… However the more I read, I find this is at TDC so how do you work out 6 degrees?

Prid.

The notch, if I understand you correct is the 6? advanced mark. The TDC mark is just a dot or round dimple cast into the metal, about 12mm from the notch. Just to be sure, by notch you mean a diamond shape cut into the flywheel, right?

Yeah, the v shaped notch.

So that's the 6 BTDC?

Yup.

what fuel are you running? as you need super unleaded to run the 6deg advance in a gti, also are you setting it with the vac pulled off and plugged? dizzy cap and rotor arm cleaned up?

M7R,

I'm just using standard unleaded, yep I have the vacuum off with a screwdriver in so it's blocked.
Brand new dizzy cap and arm (non restricted type).

So is there a different setting for standard unleaded?

Any help is an advantage!

M7R said

what fuel are you running? as you need super unleaded to run the 6deg advance in a gti, also are you setting it with the vac pulled off and plugged? dizzy cap and rotor arm cleaned up?

I think setting the timing at TDC is recommended for standard unleaded but if I were you I wouldn't even think about it, set it at 6 deg BTDC and use super unleaded, you get more power and more mpg.

Well it's set at 6 BTDC so when I next fill up I will put super unleaded in and see what difference it makes.

Prid said

Well it's set at 6 BTDC so when I next fill up I will put super unleaded in and see what difference it makes.

Regular, super or super+ will make no difference with the idle. At idle the engine is under no load and that is where the octane rating comes in to play. If your idle is rough then you have to look elsewhere. It is always best to run an engine on the lowest octane rating it will run on without knocking. If that works with regular then stay with it as you will see no difference switching to super except in your wallet.

Please I have another question.

Just been trying to setup the timing using the 2 marks. I have a full tank of unleaded, first I set to 6 BTDC and it runs ok at tickover and above 2250rpm inbetween that it's pants, still pulls but it kind of miss-fires.

So I thought, lets set at TDC as per the forum and it still runs ok, but I get the same problem. I'm suspecting that it maybe something else.

Also whilst I was checking this I took the vacuum hose off and plugged it but when I was setting the timing, it makes no difference if it's on or off.
I put the hose to my cheek and give it some revs and you get a tiny bit of suction, is this right?
The other two hoses that are attached to the vacuum have some right sucking power (excuse the pun).

Any help would be great?