note that max advance is 40 - 50 deg BTDC. therefore, varying initial
setting by a few degrees is not critical under most driving conditions.

dlk

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 09:51:14 -0800, Mike D. <md03@XOCHI.COM> wrote:

>>Date:    Wed, 28 Jan 2004 08:29:35 -0500
>>From:    Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@INVISTA.COM>
>>Subject: Re: Bad Idle Stabilizer?
>>
>>The 10 to 15 BTDC came from your fast idle speed.  Anything faster than
>>idle will take out the vacuum retard function built into the distributor.
>>I think 5 BTDC might be a little too much--idle control suffers.  Try TDC
>>or 2 BTDC.
>>
Jay
>
>I'm confused:   The idle speed was fine (950 or so) at 5BTDC without
>the stabilizer.  When I plugged in the stabilizer, the timing jumped
>to 10-15 BTDC and the idle was fast.    I think it was the stabilizer
>advancing the timing that caused the fast idle, not the other way
>around?
>
>In any case, now I have two competing threads of advice (both of
>which may be correct -- this is after all a Vanagon):
>   Dan L Says :  14 BTDC  leave the stabilizer off
>   Jay L Says :   2 BTDC  w/stabilizer
>   Bently sez :   5 ATDC  w/stabilizer
>
>hmm...