Hope im in the right place to post this! I searched but didnt find what i was looking for.

If i have a timing gun that can be advanced do i still have to do everything thats listed on the little label under the hood? Can i just set the gun to 20 and then it should show TBC on the marker? I i can just do that, i did but had to set the gun to 30 degrees to get it to TBC. If my car were actually off by 10 degrees how bad would it run?

reason i am checking this is because my car seems to have lost a bit of power going up hill, "stumbles" whennot allot of pressure on the carb and has a slight backfire. Also the car used to start right up once warm and now i am having to keep the starter turning longer before the car runs and even then it takes off kind of slow.

can someone help me out with the timing question and if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

recent changes to the motor include plugs, fuel filter, fan clutch, changing bad vacum lines, and cleaning.

Hope im in the right place to post this! I searched but didnt find what i was looking for.

If i have a timing gun that can be advanced do i still have to do everything thats listed on the little label under the hood? Can i just set the gun to 20 and then it should show TBC on the marker? I i can just do that, i did but had to set the gun to 30 degrees to get it to TBC. If my car were actually off by 10 degrees how bad would it run?

reason i am checking this is because my car seems to have lost a bit of power going up hill, "stumbles" whennot allot of pressure on the carb and has a slight backfire. Also the car used to start right up once warm and now i am having to keep the starter turning longer before the car runs and even then it takes off kind of slow.

can someone help me out with the timing question and if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

recent changes to the motor include plugs, fuel filter, fan clutch, changing bad vacum lines, and cleaning.

Guess i should have added that the motor is a 5.0L 307 (with smog) in a 89 D' Elegance with 103K miles

Also before the timing came into question i had a light knock coming from the front of the engine and just relized that it could have been the timing chain. The knock was not consistant but had more of a pattern. its stayd for a while but i dindt drive thte car until i was ready to take it to a shop. i took it to work and had plans of the shop afterwards but as i was showing a co-worker the motor made a few big knocks as i was reving it and then it want away.

Could that have bee the chain? If so then it would still loose and making noise though.......... i dont know, any help???