Crazy timing, 27 degrees at idle Options

[Gcotton92203]

OK, I'm new to this forum stuff & have absolutely no idea what I'm doing but here goes. Just got a bad running 73 2.0 and found that the only actual problem was burnt and out of adjustment ignition points. I replaced them, dialed in the dwell at 45 and the car ran fine but of course I thought I should recheck the timing. I scratch marked the original position of the distributor before moving it. Vacuum hoses are disconnected and plugged. Can't get the idle below 1100 warm but it idles pretty smoothly so I don't see that as a problem. Here's the kicker. It's showing the timing as already 27 degrees advanced at "IDLE"???? If I set it a 27 degrees at 3500 it is so retarded it just dies at throttle down. So when I have it running & idling good, I have absolutely no idea what the timing and advance really is. The last thing I want to do is damage my engine from improper timing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[stugray]

How are you checking the advance?
With a variable timing light, or a static TL & the mark on the fan?

Some fans have a mark at 5 degrees BTC and 27 BTC.
Some might have a mark at 0 deg TDC.

If you look just behind the skinny enegine tin at the back of the engine, there is a transmission inspection hole where you can see the flywheel.
The FW will have a mark at TDC that lines up with the engine case split line at TDC.
This can help you figure out what mark you are trying to use up front.

I set my timing through the back and use a variable timing light.


If this doesnt help, the advance mechanism in your distributor might be stuck at full advance.