This may seem like a dumb question, but as you are facing the car and trying to get the timing right, which side of the timing tab is advanced and wich side is retarded (no pun intended)...???

 

I am guessing the right side of the mark is advance, and the left is not....But I cant be sure.. HELP!! I am trying to get the idle mix/idle speed/timing good for another emissions pass...

 

The lead mark is 5 degrees AFTER TOP DEAD CENTER, and the trail mark is 20 degrees AFTER TOP DEAD CENTER. So if you face the front of the engine, the engine will turn clockwise as you look at it, and when the lead timing mark comes around and aligns with the pin, it will be at 5 degrees AFTER TOP DEAD CENTER. So to the left of the pin will be retarded because the trail mark is over there at 20 degrees AFTER TOP DEAD CENTER, and to the right of the lead mark will be TOP DEAD CENTER, which means to the right is advanced. Makes sense to me but I can see how someone else reading that might have some confusion.
One thing I remember is that if you turn the cas in a clockwise fashion, you are advancing the timing.
EDIT: Cheez, I just read the above and it confused me too. If you clamp the cas with the lead mark to the right of the pin, you have retarded the timing. If you clamp the cas with the lead mark to the left of the pin, then you have advanced the timing. Yeah. That makes sense to me.

 

HAILERS...You just contradicted your self in one whole paragraph!!! Let me get this straight...If you are to the left of the pin you are advanced, right of the pin, retarded. Well, I think I am just gonna let it sit right at the pin for now...One more question. Would one really good 1st gear pull get the 6-ports open? I put grease on them, but due to certain constraints (no registration) I cant go out onto the public roads...And I dont want to go tear-assin around my neighborhood in fear of killing innocent children. But the grease didnt move after one good redline in 1st...My guess is there hasnt been enough backpressure built up yet....

 

Het you can figure it out for yourself---start your car and put the timing light on,you know that as the engine speed increases the timing advances,so rev the engine up and watch the mark move counter clockwise,ie to the left as you face the front of the engine.

 

Yeah, that was what I thought...But I was trying to make sure that I was correct...I havent yet achieved a Zen-like relationship with my car. I hope my 6-ports are opening too. Doesnt seem like it.

 

That one's easy too!Just have somebody sit in the car and rev it too somewhere over 4000rpm while you watch the actuators--if they move your six ports are likely opening.

 

Yeah, I did that myself, I sat and held the throttle cable, ran up the motor till it sounded like a blender chewing nails...The port actuators didnt even budge..Then I went and hauled *** in 1st gear with grease on the actuators...still didnt move...Oh well. Guess I am tying them open till I can get them repaired.