Moving Chopper Wheels on Holden Ecotech Balancer

If you have to move the chopper wheel on an Ecotech Balancer to get the right timing you need to know a few things.

The timing on a Commodore Street Stock is controlled by the ECU and limited by the Knock sendor on the engine.

This works on a system of having excess advance and it being reduced by signal from the knock sendor to the ECU.

 Now this is all for a standard engine and thus once you add some compression, bigger cam the factory setting will not be right.

The ideal way is to have static timing this works first class but unless you have a Ford you cannot have it in Street Stock.

So you need to reduce the total advance of the engine by moving the chopper wheels in the balancer.

Both wheels must be moved the same amount.

Before you start make sure you work out what advance you have.

Set up a pointer at 12 oclock on the balancer, but a stop (spark plug with bolt welded in the end) in number one plug and turn the engine over carefully by hand.

Put a mark on the balancer, turn the engine the other way and put another mark, the middle of the marks is TDC (top dead Centre), check this again by changing the length of the stopper.

You can work out the amount of advance with a protractor, or 90 degrees from TDC is 90 degrees and then divide it up in three and you have 30 degrees, divide that up in 3 and you now have 10 degrees.

Use a timing light, do not use ones with advance dial most do not work on a coil pack just a std timing light does the job first class.

 Would out your total advance with the engine running, be careful of rattles and that will click in the knock sendor and reduce the timing.

You want the minimun amount of total  advance you can get and still get the power.

Move the chopper wheels to get the advance you require I modify a few balancers so you can just change the balancer when tuning.

Remember everything is a compromise as most cars have too much compression for the fuel, I have found 22 degrees is all you need on most modifed engines.

The next problem you have to work on is the knock sendor woking on a rough track or if you car rattles this will reduce timing and reduce power if you have already reduce the total advance.

HOW GOOD WOULD STATIC TIMING BE