You will get pinging if you advance it and you will loose gas mileage and power if you slow it.
Variable Timing Electronic Control. Meaning the timing is advanced/retarded electronically by the computer when needed ie. you stomp on the gas pedal and the timing changes to compensate.
yes, backfiring is always due to ignition or timing problems. Backfiring through the carb can be a symptom of a lean condition.
A backfire is caused by many different things. Using the wrong grade fuel will cause a backfire, as the engine's compression ratio is usually too high and will detonate the Air/Fuel mixture, causing a backfire. It can also be caused by advanced or retarded timing. Advanced timing will cause a backfire through the intake, as the spark occurs too early and ignites the Air/Fuel mixture before the intake valve is closed. Retarded timing causes a backfire through the exhaust as the spark occurs after the exhaust valve has opened. Your problem seems to be advanced timing. A backfire is caused by many different things. Using the wrong grade fuel will cause a backfire, as the engine's compression ratio is usually too high and will detonate the Air/Fuel mixture, causing a backfire. It can also be caused by advanced or retarded timing. Advanced timing will cause a backfire through the intake, as the spark occurs too early and ignites the Air/Fuel mixture before the intake valve is closed. Retarded timing causes a backfire through the exhaust as the spark occurs after the exhaust valve has opened. Your problem seems to be advanced timing.
It isn't a necessity to have an advanced fire timing but it can help if you want to run engines at higher ends but you can suffer power at the lower ends. It's important to time your ignition between retard and advance, but it depends on the application you are running the engine on. Passenger cars should run a little retarded timing or at tdc (top dead center) because the engine can warm up a bit faster if the engine runs retarded. Older cars use something like a vacuum timing system so they can run retarded and the vacuum from the intake manifold can turn the ignition coil slightly advanced to have a better power curve. Motorcycles should run a bit advanced so they don't run lean at top ends. And since the engine is considered small, they have enough response time to allow advanced timing while having enough low end power.
Probably your timing belt is a tooth off either retarded or advanced. Any more than a tooth, and it won't run at all and possible bent valves. Recheck timing marks and or timing holes that line up with special tools or etc.
Your timing is to far before top dead center you need to advance it turn the distributer foreward.
The powervalve is a quarter moon shaped plate that rests on the top of the exhaust port. when the engine hits a certain rpm the plate slides back which advances the port timing. Advanced port timing yeilds more top end power, and retarded timing (later timing) gives better bottom end power.
Usually because the timing is too retarded.
Timing is off on 1 bank of engine.
the timing mark is an engraved line on the flywheel. there should be a metal flap offset of the flywheel with markings for A (advanced), O (ontime), and R (retarded). use a timing light connected to the spark plug wire for #1 cylinder. That is how it is in my 65 impala 327 Minor correction is that the timing mark is on the front damper not the flywheel.
Use the 0 degrees setting. The performer plus cam is intended to be installed straight up, neither advanced or retarded. Never use adv. or ret. timing settings on these gears they don't work you loose power no matter what you do.