How much timing is too much?
 

I am trying to get 12's outta my 88GT before the track closes. I have been running my stang at 14 degrees initial timing. I can advance it up to 18 degrees initial timing without any detonation.

Would it be safe to run the timing that advanced.

Its not a street car, only sees track duty.

Thanks,

If it's only a track car..i would say yes. Just be careful and don't detonate. You have any aftermarket ignition?

What if it is a street car and I run timing at 18 deg without detonation? Is that bad? If so, is 16 deg bad?
Caymon

more timing isn't always better. And just because you can't hear it detonating, doesnt mean that its not.

Take a timing light with you to the track and see where it runs its best at. Mine ran good at 18deg, but actually was a little quicker with 16deg initial.

Also, if its a track only car, then have you ever thought about just running total timing with the spout connector out? This way you set the total timing on the balancer, leave the spout out, and the computer's crappy timing tables are taken out of the picture. This is especially nice with a power adder. Alot of the guys in the NMRA do this, Bruce Hemminger (sp?) I know for sure.

Start with about 26-28 total, and play with it from there. Next track day I'm gonna be trying this as well.

whats the mods, and whats the best et/mph with it so far?

if you can run that much timing and not detonate on 93 octane your doing good. 16 degrees isn't bad at all.

I havent thought about trying total timing. I will have to try that.

My best time to date is a 13.66 @101mph @3000ft in 100 degree weather, on that run my 60 ft sucked.

Now its 47 degrees outside at night and I have a set of good slicks. That coupled with the fact that I have removed a butt-load of weight makes me think that maybe a 12 is possible;)

Extremely ported and polished E7's
Explore intake
65mm TB 67mm EGR spacer
headers, full exhaust
pullies
3.73 gears
slicks
etc...

Thanks for your replies,

who extremely ported and polished your heads and what cam are you running, stock?

I read anything 19-21*btdc would be fine as long as it's not pinging, anything over that is asking for trouble. I just adjusted mine to 16* the other day and it was a difference from 14*. Won't know how much til I hit the track again. But by that time my elec. fan, headers, and h-pipe should be on.

timing...
 

My tfs heads came with a timing recommendation of 16-18 degrees (spout out)...all aftermarket heads come with some type of recommendation.
I do agree though that there is no substitute for track time.

I bought them already ported and polished off of ebay. Yes I am running the stock cam. The machine shop told me it was the best port and polish job they had ever seen.

My E7's are ported and polished with a 3 angle valve job, trick flow springs and milled 30 thousanths.

Later.

Total timing!
 

I have read alot about total timing on the message board but never really knew how to go about it. So all you need to do if your at the track is pull the spout connecter and read and set total timing on the balancer at idle, then leave the spout out and the cars timing will not advance or use the preset computers timing advance? Sounds like a decent way to eliminate bad timing curves in my factory cobra computer. One question do you lose some power from not having your timing lower initinally then advancing? Thanks for any replys.

exactly:)

I wouldn't think you would lose any power across the board, but you never know until you try.

Re: Total timing!
 

If you run with the spout disconnected you have locked out the dist, as it has a fixed rotor with no advance mechanisim at all. This will generally give crappy results, as you have NO advance curve at all beacuse there will be NO advance. You would set the initial at 34-36° and let her rip. MSD makes a delay box that retards the timing so you can actually start the motor, as this much initial timing will fight against the starter. Not really the way to go for a street car.

Playing with the initial timing actually moves the crappy stock curve up or down, so you can effect the total timing this way, but the computer still decides the advance curve.

If you want a different spark curve, remove the spout and use some type of aftermarket spark control module, or you can get a chip burned to give a better curve.

You could try to run a standard type distributor with mech advance etc, but this would probably cause the computer to freak out???

tell you a good story..went to track and was running mid 11's on juice..didnt bring the timing gun with me to turn it back to normal(motor i ran 16,,nitrous i ran 12) so i just cranked it up and went home...on my way home i swear that thing would spin the tires like no 2marrow..night and day from 16deg..turns out when i got home and wne tot set it ,it was at 22deg!that explains the power down low and nooooo top end