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Retarded timing is generally better for power... I made more power at 6*BTDC than I did at 8.5... This advanced timing BS really has no merit, it never increases power, it simply makes it "feel" like it has more power by adjusting the powerband upwards... I have never made more power on the dyno with more timing... And I have spent quite a bit of time (relatively) on the dyno...
thats because your turbo, retarded timing will dump more fuel and heat out into the turbo, spooling it better and creating more boost & heat. With n/a the only way of making torque is reaching as high a cylinder pressure as possible. With no forced induction equipment, n/a has to rely on optimal fuel injection timed to piston movement within the cylinder, to build maximum effective pressure.
I understand how it works, but using that logic, my dyno graphs would have read less until boost started to come in... I gained more power everywhere under the curve with "retarded" timing... and I believe (I would have to look at the graphs again) that the measurement started at 1000RPM...
There is no doubt that retarded timing lights the turbo faster, thats a given... But I have also found that it gives increased drivability, and more area under the curve as far as HP and Torque are concerned... I am only skeptical because I have always "heard" advanced timing give you more power on IDI's, but there is nothing to prove it... Quite the contrary actually... and I also have a feeling why that may be, as far as the pump is concerned....
thats interesting, stock cam?. so at least in your example 6 deg produced better overall results than 8.5?. Whats everyone else truck seem to run optimal at? or is it a tune to specific engine thing?
Your right, not with the stock cam. This was with the J2 cam, which has a significantly later intake, and exhaust closing than the stocker. However, my own cam that I am running now, likes retarded timing even moreso than the J2 cam, and it has an earlier intake and exhaust closing than the J2 cam.
Im not saying the "advanced" timing cant make more power, what I am saying is that everything I have done on a dyno has showed that right around 6*BTDC has been the optimal timing setting... I havent seen any proof whatsoever that advanced timing adds to power on any setup... I will stand by that statement until somebody puts something in my face that says otherwise ...