I was wondering if anyone could provide me the spec's on a 1981 Chrysler 360. I especially need timing, ............
Bob, all of my previous boats have been either Volvo Penta, SBC or SBF engines. The Volvo Penta AQ series is what I primarily work on.
I know little about the Marine 360, but I do know about Marine Ignition advancing systems.
Regarding your ignition timing:
Unfortunately, many will concern themselves with BASE Advance ONLY, and not bother to check TA (total advance).
They seem to be OK with setting BASE only, and are on their merry way!
NOT GOOD!
I don't have a clue as to what your curve and/or TA should be.
However, I'd be checking your OEM service manual to see what this should be!
An incorrect TA will throw off your high end performance.... and if too great, may cause engine damage.
Basically, you will have two advance settings to concern yourself with;
BASE and TA.
BASE is just that.... nothing more, just BASE! (We start on BASE, we idle on BASE!)
TA is the more important aspects of Ignition Timing! (This is where we produce power and run at!)
If need be, you could have both of your distributors set up on a Distributor Machine, if you can find a shop who owns and operates one!
The person operating the machine can set these both up (to meet OEM specs) so that when you set BASE, your curve and TA has been pre-determined!
However again......, it's still a good idea to always strobe your timing marks to see where YOUR TA is.
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As a side note; we do have a dwell spec with electronic ignition, we just don't normally concern ourselves with it, unless the gap between the reluctor and pick-up (if using the VR type triggering system) has changed, or is erratic.
This can affect the ignition coil saturation.
(See if you have any wobble at the upper end of your distributor shaft.)
Any change in this gap, also changes dwell by a very small amount.
Do NOT use a metallic feeler gauge if you check this gap!
Point being..... if this saturation time is not correct, your spark will suffer, just as with a point dwell that is incorrect.
Good luck!