I have an xflow with a vulcan head and 285 cam, My question is how do i time this up, Do i have to set the cam different of do i change the timeing by adjusting the dizzy with a strobe gun, What does it have to be set to?

The cam supplier should have provided you with this info, however as you are asking the question I guess not.

The cam is chain driven, in the ideal world the engine would have had the cam set with either a vernier gear of offset woodruff keys for lobes centred on the TDC or slightly advanced. As this is all hidden from view and smothered in oil you will not be adjusting easily.

The static/strobe timing will be a compromise unless the distributor is matched to the cam. I would expect it to be set at around 6 degrees BTDC on decent fuel (optimax etc).

As this is all a bit unknown you would probally get the best setting by starting at this 6 degrees BTDC, and keep advancing until the engines just starts to pink under full load, make a note and back off by a couple of degrees.

Regards Mark

Rolling road worked for me

The car has an aftermarket distributer

I got the cam information off the piper site, can anyone advise on how to read it?

basically you need a dial gauge and a cam timing disc, its a bit too comples to document as i am typing with a broken wrist but if you can U2U me a number i can give you a call in the am and talk you through it, just done both of my xflows. I also have the dial gauge, magnetic gauge , timing disc etc wgich you can borrow if your local (ish)

Mac

I used to set my 1700X/Flow hillclimb engine ignition with a strobe to 34degrees BTDC at 4000 rpm (i.e fully advanced).

Cam timing needs to be set with either a vernier pulley or offset dowels so that no1 inlet valve is fully open at Piper's recommended figure.

Cheers.