Early Valiant Barracuda Club home page

On-The-Fly Ignition Timing


  • About the pinging/ knocking: I really don't know that much about ignitions and it might be a really stupid question, but doesn't the ECU (the car was upgraded to electronic ignition) control the ignition timing? Is there even a way to adjust that?

    Steve Grohne


  • The electronic ignition eliminated your points, but not the distributor. It is still there and you can loosen the bolt to spin it more or less advanced. Got a timing light?

    Daryl Howland

  • Unfortunately I don't have a timing light...

    Steve Grohne

  • Timing can be done seat of the pants. You just get it to knock (pre-ignite, spark too early) at acceleration and start turning it back (retarding) until you dont hear the knock anymore. Takes about 5 minutes and an open road, or a really big parking lot on a Sunday morning.

    Steve Wander

  • 3,000 rpm - turn dist till motor smooths out - lock it down - Works for all motors from stock to my race motors.

    Kerry Shu