123 Distributor / Setting timing Options

[rjames]

For those that have a 123 Distributor, I need some help setting my timing. I'm probably over thinking all of this but I've read several different threads on setting the timing with this distributor and I have interpreted them all differently.

I'm running a stock 2.0 w/ DJet.
The 123 distributor setting I'm using is 'B' (negative advance), and has a max advance of 22 @ 2700 RPM.

With my new-school timing light that allows me to set the advance, (with vacuum line from the tb plugged) do I:

- Set timing light to 27 advance and rev to 3500 RPM and time to the TDC mark?
- Set timing light to 0 advance and rev to 3500 RPM and time to 27 degree mark (same as above, right?)
- Set timing light to 22 advance and rev to 2700 RPM and time to TDC mark?
- Something else? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

I feel like an idiot asking this question. Timing is such a basic thing and I had no problem with the stock distributor and an old school timing light, but I've read more than one thread on how to time with the 123 distributor, plus I've also read that there's 10 degrees advance added at static on these distributors.
Help!

[DRPHIL914]

hey 914 teener, what curve did you run?

“ I'm not sure if you have the vacuum port on your 123 dizzy and given your post I'd call them to make sure what curve to use. I don't have my car anymore but I posted the initial group buy years back and after I dialed it in it ran flawless for years. It idled rock solid at about 800 rpms when warm. I had the stock cam. ”

if you had a 2.0 d-jet did you run the 2 curve no vac hook up?

Phil

[914_teener]

hey 914 teener, what curve did you run?

“ I'm not sure if you have the vacuum port on your 123 dizzy and given your post I'd call them to make sure what curve to use. I don't have my car anymore but I posted the initial group buy years back and after I dialed it in it ran flawless for years. It idled rock solid at about 800 rpms when warm. I had the stock cam. ”

if you had a 2.0 d-jet did you run the 2 curve no vac hook up?

Phil

I didn't have a 2.0. @DRPHIL914 . I had a 1.7 and I used curve 2 per the manual that came with the 123. I wasn't confused by what someone else had posted because no one had posted anything about it before.

If you follow the manual religously it does work as designed. I had a different goal, my car was a near stock restoration and since I could no longer find a dual diaphram for the car I decided to buy a near stock electronic distributor because I am an enthusiast not a car collector. A car collector bought the car and I sold him the old dizzy with it....and with a leaky advance/retard vacuum cannister.

It drove tremendously after that and it was surprising the spunk in a stock 1.7 that is properly tuned...it was a game changer and x'd my plans to put a 2.0 in the car.

Edit:

This is the one I bought:

Porsche 4-R-V-IE

Again...It was a stock restoration effort and used everything the car had ...EXCEPT the manifold vacuum port at the TB which I capped at the TB. The electronics already had the retard degrees acconted for in the advance profile. If you read Anders site how that cannister works...it becomes more understandable, if that is your thing. I'm an engineer so I want to know how everything works first.