VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1958-1960 58 chevy timing

My brother-in-law and I are having the same timing problem with our 58 chevy V8 engines. I have a 283 and he has a 348. To have the engine run properly, we are setting the timing by ear. On mine, I have the timing mark set about one inch above the timing plate on the front cover. Both of us would appreciate any hints as to what the problem is.
Thanks

As per the 1958 Service ews (Sept 1958) - 1958 8 cylinder engines equipped with an automatic transmissions have the vacuum advance vaccum supply taken directly from the intake manifold. On these engines the timing is set with the vacuum hose disconnected. The vacuum was actually taken from one of the studs that is used to fasten down the carburetor. The stud is hollow. This was used in 1959 and 1960 as well. With the hose connected the timing will read from 17 to 21 degrees advanced at idle.
The odd location of the timing tab may be due to the engine having a timing cover from a high performance model which had a larger balancer. Also in the later years a new replacement cover came with the tab not being fastened to the cover and instructions as to where to correctly fasten it. Some one may have just fastened it incorrectly in the worng place.
From my experiance these engines always ran the best with the timing advanced several degrees from the factory recommendations.

Thanks for the help. My 58 has a 3sp manual transmission. Does that change how the car is timed/

Hi Phil,

No, the timing adjustment would be the same.
Follow Gene's excellent advice.

May be worth a check of the centrifugal weights inside your distributor. Make sure they are not stuck - as that would make adjusting the timing miserably difficult.

Now about that "doing it by ear"?????

Tell Santa you want a timing light for Christmas!