Mechanically adjust your timing?

[JoelMartin]

I heard of a guy who says he mechanically adjusted his timing on his 04 and gained 4 mpg. Is this even possible?

 

[p-Bar]

Na I would have to say everything is computer controlled with sensors. Would like to hear more.

 

[cerberusiam]

About the only thing that can be done is move the crank position sensor to build more advance in. I guess that could be considered mechanical. It nets some help in cases. A programmer that allows adjustment for individual engine configuration has worked better for most.

 

[jelag]

There was someone on this board who offered a stock crank position sensor that was put in a mill and the bolt hole was open into a slot to allow for 4* of advancement... I bought one, set it on the shelf and didn't get it installed, and ran across it a few days ago... 2-3% would be a huge change... . 4 MPG is impossible based on what I learned years ago working with a dyno and wind resistance factors that play into HP and Torque required at 60 to 70 mph...

Just my thoughts... .

 

[STEVEBROOKS]

While there might also have been others offering such a thing, a company called Rokktech made a modified crank trigger. I put one on my truck, and through hand-calculating my mileage, afterwards, I saw a steady . 75 mpg avg improvement. While that small amount adds up to a good $ savings over time, I was more satisfied with what I perceived to be more low-end "grunt" while towing. I've left it on the truck for approx 80,000 more miles, and there's been no issue with it.



Steve

 

[100 Proof]

I adjusted mine.

I adjusted mine a couple of degrees (hard to measure) by removing the tone ring and slotting the dowel pin hole slightly. I picked up maybe 1 MPG. There is such a thing as too much though. In that case, it will knock unacceptably and you will want to back off a bit. I had to in order to get to a "good" place.



Price = $0. Degree of difficulty = 1 beer on a 5 beer scale.



100 Proof

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

You can move the crank sensor but if you try to move it enough to make a big timing difference, the crank/cam sensors will get out of synchronization and the ECM probably won't even let the engine start. It is much more effective to change timing on the HPCR engines with the TST PowerMax-CR or the Smarty programmer. See TDR Issue 61, p. 106; Issue 63, p. 79; and Issue 64, p. 82.

 

[Matt400]

I rotated my tone ring 3 degrees and it made a difference on my 05. I did it to an 03 and felt it rattled too much. I think they retarded the timing more for emissions as the trucks got newer.

 

[AHolt]

The Rokktech censor will advance your timing, 2 degrees.

 

[CKelley1]

the best thing to do is to use the smarty jr. it advances it dynamically for the best results.

 

[Matt400]

the best thing to do is to use the smarty jr. it advances it dynamically for the best results.

Thats a good point because a static change across the board is what the tone ring and or sensor change does.