Did I do my timing right? I'm so confused.

[br0]

*2005 4.3L Carb, 0w324734*

So I visited a boat shop yesterday, and the guy said I should be using this for base timing mode:

I don't know where the heck that dongle would plug into, and I didn't find it when I looked yesterday afternoon.

But when I did the base timing procedure it said to hook a wire to the PUR/WHT wire in the harness and the other end into a ground, which I did. This is the wire I connected to:

So which is it?

 

[br0]

Re: Did I do my timing right? I'm so confused.

Bump

 

[Don S]

Re: Did I do my timing right? I'm so confused.

That "Dongle" as you call it is for an MEFI fuel injected engine, not a carbed engine with a Thunderbolt V ignition.
Here is how you set your timing.

View attachment #25 GM V6 4.3 98- 52.pdf

 

[br0]

Re: Did I do my timing right? I'm so confused.

I explicitly told that guy "No, it is definitely carburated" but apparently he still didn't believe me. This was even after I gave him the serial number....

Anyway, yea those are the instructions I used to do it, from service manual #25 (same print date).

The only thing I didn't do was #8. Why am I supposed to adjust the idle screw again after idle speed is set and timing is correct? I understand that the a/f ratio has to be correct, but how would I know at this point in the process? Wouldn't I have to pull all the plugs and look at their condition to really know?

 

[Don S]

Re: Did I do my timing right? I'm so confused.

You have the timing locked while adjusting the mixture, instead of the timing chasing the rpm. Once mixture is set, they work together.