+Timing=+Top End

[Swaie]

I just got my motor back together for the second time, and I got a pro design timing plate. I want was told that my advancing the timing would take away from my top end and just add bottom. Is this true? Mod's in sig.

[gregrob]

No not Entirely true I will improve overall performance by providint you with a stronger spark, By advancing it you are makeing the spark come on Stronger and by retarding it weaker, There is such a thing as too much timing but as long as you stay in the +4 to +6 rang you shouldn't loose any power you should actually gain it across the board, that being said you also have to take into consideration with bigger domes( higher compression) it will require a higher octane and advance's in timming to prevent detionation.

 

How does changing the timing make the spark stronger or weaker?

 

Advancing or retarding the timing simply makes the spark happen sooner or later in the stroke.

 

A hotter spark would have to come from a higher voltage coil.

[4stroker]

holy smokes man nothing you said makes sense! advancing your timing makes spark stronger and retarding weaker??? and bigger domes for higher compression?? NOPE

 

advanced timing IN GENERAL will add to the bottom end and take away from the top, not sure if youll notice the loss in top on a stockish banshee though... in an ideal world youd run a custom ignition map which advance the ignition up to say 7000rpm then keeps the stock curve after that... but the timing plate set at +4 seems to be the banshee industry standard... dont go any more than +4 and ill bet youll be real happy with the gain down low and not notice any loss in top...

 

higher compression also kills your top end power but thats another story for another day...

[Wildcardracing]

Also, advancing timing will promote...not prevent detonation. Sounds like bobman13 has no clue what he's talkin about.

[bigboybanshee]

When I bumped my timing up +4 on my trail bike, I noticed a gain all around. I actually run it at +6 now. I run +8 timing on my drag bike, you would think if it hurt top end power I wouldn't advance my timing at all on the drag bike. In my opinion, too much compression will kill the top end performance of an engine, but will provide more torque. The idea behind it is to find the happy medium where you have optimum torque and HP, but that's a whole nother subject like 4stroker said :thumbsup:

 

Increasing timing doesn't promote detonation, increased timing along with other insufficient variables will promote detonation. Timing alone doesn't do it. It's important to understand that.

 

You can increase your timing +4, run 150 psi of compression, and still run 93 octane pump gas.

 

Advancing your timing simply ignites the fuel a few degrees sooner which will ensure you're burning all the fuel in the cylinder. You won't really hurt performance with one of those plates if you keep your timing around 7 and below for gasoline, 9 and below for alcohol.

 

If you have a stock to mild engine, you can't do any harm by advancing your timing +4. Something that small shouldn't warrant an octane increase even if you're close to the point where you'd need it.

 

As long as you are mindful of your compression, fuel octane, and timing (as a whole), you won't have to worry about detonation unless you're running too lean, which would be a carb issue.

 

:shrug:

[Snopczynski]

The loss at the top is usually because of different spark timing, but can also be from slight detonation. I had mine at +6 and backed it off to +5 cause it was detonating on the dyno with 112 octane in it at 175 psi compression. I said screw it and ordered the dyna and the programming kit. I am bumping up my compression to 184 now also. So I am gonna recurve the timing at +6 down low, then back it off to almost retard for a topend gain.