Hello all im new to the forums but i do go to the mustangforums (they look identical) so i am a car guy and i like all domestic cars Anyway, i was wondering if bumping the timing is worth it for the dakotas, my friend has a 2002 3.7l v6 dakota that he wants me to do it on, should I? Ive done it on my stang and my buddys stang so i know how to do it, but i need to know what cylinder is #1. Any help would be appreciated guys! thanks!
-Tim Harrold

 

I'm not familiar with the 3.7. but it should be the same as the 3.9.

it is, 1,3,5 on the left bank and 2,4,6 on the right bank.

hope that helps.



just wondering, why do you wanna advance the timing?

 

you get more hp, its a free mod if you make it fire at TDC you get more hp(not too much) but its a noticeable gain, plus the stock timing is normally retarted a bit.

 

really.........

 

yea...TDC is top dead center, you want to advance the timing until it pings at high rpm's than back it down a degree or 2, i could actually feel the diff in my car and so can most other people that do it, if you want i can send a techarticle on how to do it/what it does. edit if you do it your gonna wanna run 91 octane gas also and you have to disconnect the spout connector, keep in mind this may be different for a new motor but on a normal engine its basic. The higher the number the later it fires.

 

You actually want it to fire just before TDC - in 5.0s the optimum for stock engines is 10-14 degrees before TDC. Stock is something like 5 or 7 degrees, and it has something to do with emissions.

The 3.7 is a different animal though, lots of electronics.

 

ya im at 14 on 93 octane, im basically stock. Too much electronics you say? hmm well it was worth asking for!

 

Yeah I don't know much about the newer motors. Are they coil on plug? How the eff do you change the timing on those without reflashing the ecu? modify and rotate the pickup? I just don't know!