Topic: Need help with my timing

[hayabusa]

I have a 1965 289v8 3 speed car with points and condenser. I recently replaced the cast intake and 2 barrel carb on the car with an aluminum intake and a 600cfm AFB carter carb. When I swapped the parts out I marked my distributer but the engine got bumped so I had to retime my 289. I hand turned the car until I got TDC on the balancer and I put my finger in the number 1 spark plug and felt the piston. I then dropped the distributer back in and started the car. I plugged the vacume advance module and used the timing light and saw I was at TDC on the balancer. I then adjusted the distributer until I saw 3 degrees advanced. I tried to move the distributer a bit more but my vacume advanced module is hitting my water neck on the intake. I'm wanting to run this car at 9 degrees advanced but I fear now that I might be a tooth off on my distributer. I need a sanity check to see if my assumptions are correct and if so should I turn the engine by hand until I reach TDC again and then pull the distributer and if so would I turn the rotor back a tooth counter clockwise or should I turn the rotor forward clockwise. The car starts fine and idles ok but I can tell that when it bogs down and I seem to get some rumbling in the mufflers like all the raw gas isn’t getting burned off. I'm desperate for some advice on this one. Thanks

[66GTKFB]

Anoter newbie to welcome in - so welcome. Yeah, pull the distributor out and move it back a tooth. It's a common fupaw. And dump the AFB. Unless you have a descent cam and headers you have entered the realm of overcarburation.
Jim

[hayabusa]

Thanks for the fast response. So if I yank the distributor and move it back a tooth are there only so many spots that the distributor will fit into tooth wise? The comment about the carb, I have the stock cam in there now but will be replacing the valve train and cam this winter so hopefully this will help. Are you saying that a 600cfm is to large for a stock 289?

[Soaring]

A 600 CFM carb is reaching the outer limits of a bone stock 289.  The originals came out with a 480 CFM Motorcraft carb 4 barrel.  If you have power adding add-ons in mind for the near future, then the 600 will suffice.  You don't just add on a bigger carb to achieve more power from a stock 289.   I see that you have added an aluminum intake to help it breathe better.  That's good, and the 600 may work for you.  BTW, your vacuum tube to the distributor can be bent to accomodate the water neck clearance.  You have to have the right bending tool though.