So, being new to the 4.6 world(long time Fox-body owner), I've been reading all the threads here and have seen questions pertaining to setting timing on the 4.6. Sorry if this is a dumb question but how would I check or re-set timing on my '00 GT? What is the recommended base timing for a bone stock '00 GT? If it can be advanced, how far advanced would you recommend? I know the old saying, advance it until it starts pinging then back it down a little but I was hoping for an actual number and procedure. On the weekends when I break out the 5.0 and then get back in the 4.6 it is like going from a real muscle car to 10 speed bike so I am looking for any advantage I can get to make the transition more desirable.
There has always been some real good advice in here and I am hoping for some myself. Thanks in advance for all the help.

 

Dont get a timing adjustor. Thats the wrong and cheap way to do it. Youll need to do it through a hand held tuner or a chip. Youll also have to run 93 octane after advancing the timing. I can tell you my car is seeing 26* total timing. I dont see why you couldnt run that.

 

I agree with the handheld tuner and while you are at it, id add in a set of gears since you have the power to fix the calibration on the handheld
tuner. You could see upwards of a .4 to .8 sec gain (give or take) in the 1/4 mile.

 

Plus the handheld tuners give you the ability to change low RPM timing and high RPM timing. The 4.6s seem to be very sensitive to low RPM timing and will get "jumpy" at low / partial throttle if advanced too much. I noticed that long before I got into any detonation....Could just be my mad driving skills. The base timing is still 10 degrees and the old 5.0s could go up into 20 base sometimes, I don't think I took my 4.6 past 15 degrees base (not sure what that is totally advanced). Def get the tuner to do your mods, don't waste any money on timing adj and speed calibrators (for gears)

 

I would like to do the same thing to my 02 GT, how much timing can I add safely to it? I have the Diablosport predator tuner, so I can do it easy enough, just don't know where my boundaries are. What could I set my Low and High timing at?

 

With the predator doesnt it only adjust things by a %? So you can put it up all the way and still have room for more.