3.5 euro timing

[T.Hanson]

Looking for timing specs @ rpm for Jetronic euro 3.5 engine.

Our 528's are 2200 rpm, a post suggesting 1850 to advance. I've seen 633's @ 1650, but unable to find any spec sheets.

[Mike W.]

Start at 2200, then go from there, just time it where it runs best without pinging. I'll bet that's what the factory did on euro engines...

Depending on what distributor and FI ECU you are running, there may not be a factory spec if you're mixing parts. As some of us tend to do

[T.Hanson]

We're teaching thick here.

Plug vacuum lines, set throttle to 2200, set mark with light, tighten, reattach vacuum lines.

If it pings ( burning premium as I believe compression on 635 Euro is 9:1), try settings at LOWER RPMs ?

Thereby retarding timing,...

[Brian Smith]

Somewhere online I've seen specifications for the euro distributor.
Anyone else recall where those are?
I think they were not dramatically different from the U.S. specs.

[T.Hanson]

Whatever the specs, I stripped the engine last year. All of the pieces were identical to my '79 528i. That is to say largely identical, as some pieces have the casting (as in the thermostat housing) where the '79 is drilled/tapped for a sensor. The alternator has no mount bushings (solid holes), etc.

Having the '78 633 with Euro engine, '79, '81 528i's is having the upgrade museum to look at.

Distributor looks identical save there's a little tab, wire plug flat on the side that has no wire to it. Whatever it is, it runs fine that way, no wire.

[Mike W.]

We're teaching thick here.

Plug vacuum lines, set throttle to 2200, set mark with light, tighten, reattach vacuum lines.

If it pings ( burning premium as I believe compression on 635 Euro is 9:1), try settings at LOWER RPMs ?

Thereby retarding timing,...

Nope, the opposite. Set it at a higher RPM. Or really, what I do is set it in the direction the idle slows down a little bit to retard it. And the Euro compression depending on the year is either 9.3:1 or 10:1.

A higher RPM means it is reaching X advance at a higher RPM, meaning it would have less advance at the 2200 RPM.

[Peter Florance]

What I do is set timing by spec and then mark dist body to clamp with a pencil mark. Then rotate slightly CW if I need to retard timing. Usually the thickness of the mark each time and drive it.