After searching other websites, I was, once again, face to face with just how good this forum really is compared to a lot of what is available on the web with similar content.
For years I have been a member here and I have witnessed many questions being answered in a good manner, and with useful details and direction.
Thank you to all who make this the reality it is.
I am working on a modified 1986 351W, in a mild street truck, with Edelbrock heads and intake and I don't know anything about what is actually inside this engine.
With all the available info on the web I have become a learn before leaping tuner if I am able.
Even with my knowledge and experience I still like to listen for the current "best" situations if I can find useful results.
My search was basic and in looking for a good timing curve for a 351W with Edelbrock heads and intake and a mild cam....I thought this would be simple.
I was able to find numerous threads where the original question was something like "What is good timing for my 351W" or "What is a good initial timing for my 351W" or something to that effect.
As I read through the many threads, I realized none of them ever answered the question about timing.
Dozens and dozens of threads, from all the regular Ford, Mustang, Truck, or other sites, as well as more general hot rod type sites, yet nobody answered the timing question with any usable numbers.
They all devolved into something that talked about other stuff like "you don't need the vacuum advance, get rid of it" or "why ask such a simple question" or rambling about how their car runs great while never answering the question.
My favorite was a guy diverting to all sorts of questions about what literal distributor was being used...as if the distributor used makes any difference on where the timing is set to get the engine running right, when the question was literally about what timing should I set my 351W.
I realize my searches might not have been looking in the right area, but that is not my point.
My observations of searching for a pretty simple, straight forward question about timing lead me to many, many, many threads that never answered the question at hand, not even indirectly.
This made me think how great it is around here because you will almost always get your answer.
Thanks again to Jay and his great website and for all the really great members who do take the time and invest the effort into answering the questions asked...It means a lot to at least one person.
For now I'm going to set the timing at 35* total and see where the initial falls. (with pump gas, which is all this motor likely needs, I'll likely end up somewhere between 32-36*)
With the rebuilt Duraspark distributor we put in I think the advance springs it came with are super stiff so that will have to be altered too.
While I'm in there I will see which slots the arm has and then modify accordingly.
