Now, I searched. And came up short. When should someone start retarding the spark. I've heard something along the lines of for every 10 HP you add to the motor you should retard 1 degree of timing. I've got a few things done to the car...and I can retard extremely easily with my MSD, I'm just at a loss when it comes to how much as starting at what RPM range. Pretty much the MSD allows me to fine tune the spark retarding 1 degree at a time up to 15 degrees starting at as low as 4000 RPM. Just looking for some data here. I've looked around and come up empty handing.
Any help or information would be cool.
Thanks guy!
Memeber since '99
cardomain New England Tunerz
well going by your registry, you don't need to retard timing.. don't mess with it.. only way to tell is on a dyno if its really going to help or not..
A simple answer for you. You don't need to retard timing unless you start getting knock. It has nothing to do with making additional HP or anything like that. Most likely you never will need to unless u end up running heavy boost, nitrosoxide, really high compression etc etc. The only thing you're gonna accomplish with retarding timing (for no reason that is) is slighly lowered power output.
Honestly with what you have, you can more likely advance timing(to make a little more power) somewhat without getting any knock. And if you do go a bit too far, well you have a knock sensor - andwhen the ECM sees a knock from that, it is automatically gonna retard timing. Your MSD box only modies timing relative to the timing set by the ECM, Anyways just advance it 1 degree at a time and once your knock sensor starts telling you that you've gone too far, take it back 2-3 degrees and keep it there.
I've never heard of this "part throttle" before. Does it just bolt on?
Thanks guys...Not looking to retard just because..and I know it doesn't make power..never claimed it did. I'm just looking for the information ahead of the mods.... I hate when I get something..and I have to wait months to get the proper information. I did the same thing, research before modding, when I was looking at the MSD. And even that ended in me getting the wrong information at 1st and wasting a few hundred dollars on a MSD6A....which eco can't use. So I'm just trying to get all my informational "eggs" in one basket before I go and pick up some of the larger mods I've got in my sights.
I have found information that with a high power ign system like the MSD, adding gap to the spark can actually help you get a better hotter burn. I'm in the middle of a major tune up..so I'll be playing with gap size to see what pans out.
Always gotta get the information correct before doing anything. At least that's the way I roll the dice!
Memeber since '99
cardomain New England Tunerz
