Mailbag: Troubleshooting Engine Spark & Timing Issues on a Small Block Chevy
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. We work with the Summit Racing tech department to help you tackle your auto-related conundrums. In this week’s Mailbag, we’re helping a reader troubleshoot spark plug, carb-jetting, and timing issues in a small block Chevy 350. Q: I have a .030 overbored, balanced and blueprinted Chevy 350. It has a 9.5:1 TRW
Mailbag: Timing Adjustment Recommendations for a Small Block Chevy V8
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. We work with the Summit Racing tech department to help you tackle your auto-related conundrums. In this week’s Mailbag, we’re helping a reader time his engine. Q: I have a 1956 Chevy with a 300-horsepower 350. It’s hooked up to, and sends power to, a 12-bolt rear axle with 4.11 gears. My
Race-Day Tuning is Often the Difference Between Winning and Losing
NORWALK, OH – We can’t control the weather. Just ask every bride, golfer or outdoor event planner, ever. In most life situations, temperature and precipitation are the only weather-related things we must worry about. But drag racing isn’t most life situations. In competitive drag racing where there is typically little margin for error, unpredictable conditions
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: A Step-by-Step Guide to Curing Engine Hesitation
My neighbor kid just bought a ’69 C10 pickup with a 350 small block with a Holley carburetor an aluminum intake, cast iron exhaust manifolds, and a TH350 automatic. He’s been driving it around when the weather’s nice and since I’m the old guy in the neighborhood with a couple of hot rods, he comes
Monday Mailbag: A Basic Introduction to Ignition Timing
Q: I‘ve owned a few vehicles, but I’m new to engine tuning and automotive mechanics in general. What can you tell me about ignition timing? In particular, how does advancing or retarding the timing affect performance? And what variables might affect where my timing should be set? A: Measured in crankshaft degrees, ignition timing refers to the
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Examining Timing Advance in Street vs. Race Engines
Do you know of or are you a good source for questions about timing? I’m not talking about the basics. I think I have that figured out. A question I have is why when I set the total mechanical advance on my race car I’m told I want it all in by somewhere close to
Ask Away with Jeff Smith: Understanding Vacuum Advance and Why You Need It
I’ve always thought that vacuum advance was something just for stock engines and something you didn’t use with a performance engine. In fact, I’ve heard guys say they’ve locked out their advance and just run a fixed timing amount. Is this a better way to go with a street engine? I have a small-block 350
Video 101: How to Set Ignition Timing
Perhaps this would’ve been a good post for a Throwback Thursday. Fact is this video has been around for a while, but it’s still one of the more comprehensive tutorials on an oft-misunderstood topic: setting ignition timing. Chances are you know that ignition timing can affect engine power and performance, fuel economy, and even engine longevity.
Ask Away with Jeff Smith: A Basic Guide to Ignition Advance
I hate to admit that I’ve been working on cars for more years that I care to admit and yet I still don’t understand all the different things about ignition advance. Every time I ask my friends who say they know all about that – I get a different answer. Can you make it simple
Racing with Mother Nature: How to Tune for Weather Conditions
[portfolio_slideshow id=18052] Here’s a scenario to ponder: You hand picked the best components for an engine build, had those bits meticulously machined and assembled, and ended up with a stout engine that made 850 horsepower on the dyno. The engine runs perfectly on a cool spring day when temperatures and humidity are close to the
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