Hey guys, I finally got the 1200 back together and it is running smooth enough... The head gasket has held up thus far... Hylomar seems to work a treat...

I checked the timing after I had it running and it was running somewhere around 35 degrees advanced... It was still running nice and smooth but this would explain why it was pinging under load previously...

I reset the advance to about 10 degrees but the engine feels so much more gutless... I only ever run Shell V racing in it to try and prevent it from pinging, this should not be a problem now...

My question is, what would be a "safe" timing advance to set it at? I was thinking around 15 - 18 degrees?

If I set it at that and then test drive it to listen for pinging??? I dunno, i've never set the advance before...

Mind you its never been changed since i've owned it, so its been running at 35 degrees for almost a year and a half now...

to get an accurate static idle timing:

1. The idle must be under 800 rpm. Otherwise mechanical advance comes into play too much.
2. You must remove and plug the vacuum advance hose.

Don't go over 15 degrees BTDC idle timing. The spec is 5 or 7 degrees BTDC and a stock engine runs very well at this setting. High-RPM camshafts may need a higher static timing, but then you need to carefully limit total timing by modifying the mechanical advance curve.

So plug the vaccum line from the dizzy up and then check...

I have no tacho so I can't tell what RPM the motor is doing...

No tacho, just make sure it is runny slowly. compare it to another car's idle. Unscrewthe idle screw down as low as it will keep running.

Running 15 degrees at the moment and it seems to have the power back without the pinging....