Questionhow to put the timing on a 1966 impala
AnswerI'm not really clear on your question - if you are asking about the timing spec:
Because of the changes in gasoline since that car was built, I recommend setting the timing so that you can just barely induce pre-ignition "ping" at gentle acceleration in high gear at 30 MPH with a warm engine, using the brand and grade of gas you want to run in the car.
This will probably not be as far advanced as the original specification.
I can't tell you what the orignal spec was because you didn't give me all the information, such as which engine, which transmission, and whether or not it has the A.I.R. system. Those timing specs ranged from 2 degrees after TDC to 10 degrees BTDC! It was different for every engine choice (7 of them, plus the variations for different transmissions and smog gear)!
If you are asking how to do it:
Be sure you have set the point dwell FIRST, as it affects the timing.
1. Set the dwell to 30 degrees if it has a V8 engine, or 32 degrees if it is a 6.
2. Loosen the distributor clamp nut slightly, so that you can just barely rotate the distributor body, then warm up the engine and try various small correction type adjustments until you achieve the results I gave above.
Dick
