Have an Isky 301 cam installed straight up in an 80 over 312 with cleaned up G heads and 1.5 rockers. It needs at least 20 degrees of initial timing to begin to run. The Demon chart says for cams >250 degrees of duration that's what I should need but it seems like a lot more than the old 6 degrees recommended for the automatic let alone the 4 degrees for a stick. Is it all about the changes in the gas out there??? MIKE

Mike, still lovin his 57 t'bird after 53 years!

I run 10 degrees on both of mine.  Starts ok and they run good.  One has an Edelbrock carb and a somewhat performance cam.  The other is a stock 312 (teapot) 56 Bird


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

What is the condition of the crank damper?

I don't see a 301 cam in the Isky catalog.  What are the specs?



Lawrenceville, GA

I'm running my 292, std w/5cc domed pistons, ported, shaved 0.020 G heads with a good sized CompCam (0.500 lift is all I can recall) and a 3x2 intake at 16*. All mechanical advance running 38* total at 2500 rpm. Starts and runs fine. We used to run most Ford timing at 10* for std. and 12* for auto trans on stock engines. As long as they didn't spark knock the customer & the engine loved it.

Dan      Kingman Az.      86409

I run 12 to 14 degrees of initial timing in my bone stock 57 wagon with a 312 manual transmission and that's with non ethanol gas .  I have read that ethanol fuel requires more initial timing to perform properly.

It's 270 duration on intake and exhaust with a 448 lift on both intake and exhaust. Stock number 301333. Vibration damper is T'bird so can't slip like passenger or truck. Mike

Mike, still lovin his 57 t'bird after 53 years!

That's the RPM 300  That's a pretty mild cam and should not require 20 degrees.  There is probably something wrong if that is required only to rum.  Check ignition, carb, vacuum, etc to find the problem.



Lawrenceville, GA