Hi guys, I posted this on the electrical forum a couple of days ago, but didn’t get any responses. Can anyone help please? It’s a rainy day here in the UK and the garage is calling!
I recently changed the head gasket on my 1971 280 SL (UK) with much helpful advice from this forum. During the process the ignition timing was altered (don’t ask!) and now I need to get things correctly set up. I have had a good read through the technical manuals but some of it is too technical for me. I have read the details in the Haynes manual but some posts on here seem to differ as regards the timing set up, so I just wanted to check a few things please.
I have new points and a new condenser, what should the points be set to? I have a dwell meter, is this the most accurate way to set the gap and if so what should the dwell be, I have read 30 to 35 degrees?
On to the timing, should it be set when the engine is warm? Should the vacuum pipe be connected or not? And what is the correct setting please. I read a post in the technical manual that said “set to 10 deg BTDC without vacuum; this should result in a setting of 8 deg ATDC at 800 RPM with vacuum. Rev engine to 3000 rpm (with vacuum) and adjust to 30 deg. BTDC”. Is this the correct approach for a UK 280SL?
My engine number is 130 983 20 008021 and my distributor is a Bosch 0231 116 051
Many thanks in advance for any advice.
Colin
