Base timing bump 5.0 Ford...

With new factory ignition components, is it worth trying to add a degree or a degree and a half timing?

I know guys will add a hotter coil and 8mm wires and bump it to 13+ but will a bump to say 11.5 be worth a bit of mileage or a bit of acceleration/better running?

I'm under the impression that the 10 degrees base timing is a bit retarded for emissions compliance.

1995 5.0 Auto F150

Hey now. It is now un-advanced timing. No need for the r word 'round here.

I bumped my truck up to 14 I believe. I need to check it as I think I am getting some pinging. I didn't re-gap the plugs though. Next set will be. Butt dyno told me it was a little more responsive. Mileage improvement was undetectable. Of course, the truck needed fresh ignition anyway, so that may have been the improvement right there.

I ran my bronco at 12. It would take a little more without issue but that was the sweet spot.

We put my buddies at 13 with nothing but fresh OE ignition components. He has gt40p heads and one of those letter cams and runs premium, but it runs very smooth.

The 302 will let you know via spark knock when you've advanced it too far.

This is great guys, love to see some more examples.

I'm getting a bit of poo-pooing on the (unnamed Ford Truck site).

I disagreed with thier sentiment that the truck will just ignore the change and resort back to 10 degrees through the SPOUT.

ebonyandivory wrote: I disagreed with thier sentiment that the truck will just ignore the change and resort back to 10 degrees through the SPOUT.

Which would be a physical impossibility on any Ford truck I've ever seen.

If its only way of telling the ignition timing is through the distributor pick-up, it will have no way of noticing that the distributor has moved, so it can't revert back to its regular timing. The only way it could do that would be if the engine used a crank-fired ignition... and I haven't seen any Ford trucks that had both a crank pickup and a distributor.

Tell them that what they learned on Chevy Vortec V8s doesn't apply to Fords. (Those, and Chrysler 318 / 360 Magnum motors, were crank fired and do ignore if you turn the distributor.)

In reply to MadScientistMatt:

Thank you for that. I knew it was wrong because people have been advancing these motors forever including myself, just not this late of a motor (90's)

I ran my 5.0 mustang at 16^ base on 89 octane........

In reply to Ranger50:

Any difference with a non-HO 302 in this regard?

No. I ended up at that number through trial and error.

The 5.0 in my SN95 seemed to ping a little at 14 base advance so I took it back to 12 and it seemed fine with 87 octane. This is with EGR deleted.

I have a 5.8L powered truck and I have advanced the timing to around 14 deg. The truck 5.8L engines of my year (1988) had less compression then the HO 5.0's so I've had no issues. I run 87 octane too! The engine runs better and does get a bit more MPG but when towing the difference between 10.2 & 10.8 isn't much. I did this mod with both my 1993 Cobra and my 1992 5.0 LX. The Cobra got a bit more advance as I installed aluminum heads which cool better and so are less prone to pinging.

my 5.0 bronco is at 13.5 adv. i got the hotter coil, 9mm wires, copper NGK's, new cap and rotor, and opened the gap from .44 to .54. the difference for me was night and day. easy 15% in power and response, and that's through a 190K E4OD! this is all on 87 octane, but the power difference between that and 93 is also noticeable, maybe 3-5% more.

-J0N

Best way to set timing is at high rpm for max advance. Or just keep advancing until you hear a little rattle at full throttle.

Speaking strictly from my experience with Mustangs, I know the SN95 cars were more sensitive to timing than the earlier Fox bodies were. I was able to run about 14 degrees in my Fox cars, though I always ran 93 octane in them. 12 seemed to be the limit in the SN95 cars with pump gas. It basically takes trial and error and a sensitive ear so you don't pop a head gasket or something. But it certainly makes a difference, you can feel it right away in the seat of your pants.

This is what I'm looking for, I have a feeling that I'm short-changing that little motor.

The hotter coil, wires and plugs will be next.

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

So, since I'm strapped for time and my timing light broke, I dropped my avatar off to a mechanic (He's been working on these trucks since they were new and reminded me more than once) to bump my timing while fixing the vacuum leak it has (heat/ac switch from floor to defrost with varying throttle).

He has it for TWO DAYS and calls me telling me I don't have a vacuum leak (I do) and I should try buying a new TPS to "see if that works". I told him I brought it to YOU so I don't go throwing parts at it "to see if that works".

Plus he basically refused to adjust the timing because "you won't feel any difference". This after I've gotten literally DOZENS of replies saying otherwise from you guys and others that own these trucks!

So now I'm picking it back up (gotta get another ride over there first) with NOTHING DONE but at least I've been without my truck for two days!

(Not to mention I get on the phone and he says "what's wrong with your transmission?" I said "HUH? NOTHING, WHY? He was referring the the OD lockout button on the shifter recently broke so it goes into OD at 40-ish). I was about to snap because the transmission was flawless when dropped it off.

ebonyandivory wrote: So, since I'm strapped for time and my timing light broke, I dropped my avatar off to a mechanic (He's been working on these trucks since they were new and reminded me more than once) to bump my timing while fixing the vacuum leak it has (heat/ac switch from floor to defrost with varying throttle). He has it for TWO DAYS and calls me telling me I don't have a vacuum leak (I do) and I should try buying a new TPS to "see if that works". I told him I brought it to YOU so I don't go throwing parts at it "to see if that works". Plus he basically refused to adjust the timing because "you won't feel any difference". This after I've gotten literally DOZENS of replies saying otherwise from you guys and others that own these trucks! So now I'm picking it back up (gotta get another ride over there first) with NOTHING DONE but at least I've been without my truck for two days! (Not to mention I get on the phone and he says "what's wrong with your transmission?" I said "HUH? NOTHING, WHY? He was referring the the OD lockout button on the shifter recently broke so it goes into OD at 40-ish). I was about to snap because the transmission was flawless when dropped it off.

And this is why I try to avoid using any "professional mechanic" to work on my cars.

Wait, but he's been working on these trucks since they were new!!!

THEN DO WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO... I pay in cash!!!!

Sort of on topic. What would cause an engine that was running fine to start pinging? Nothing has changed engine wise? Distributor feels tight. I'm going to check timing tonight, but just wondering.

I was just thinking I needed to try this on my '93 5.0 f-series. I've got a complete gt40p engine in it ,and longtubes. Does that make any difference?

In reply to CGLockRacer:

Bad gas? Hot spot in combustion chamber?

Oh, and the guy told me he couldn't get his equipment to talk to my trucks computer. I use a $25 handheld to read 3 digit codes.

Come on guy, really?

Annnd, I get home, get out and smell antifreeze. Pop the hood and I see wet under the TB.

I could KILL.