Metal (or anyone else), care to expound on the nuances of retarding timing for more top end ?
Well, I could go on and on about Spark timing, and cam timing....which is just as important. Motors that I work with only usually idle maybe 15 seconds max after they're brought up to temperature, or warmed up. I deal with 80% alcohol motors of various race types....and as long as it stays running long enough to get itself to the starting line....everything else is tuned and built to make maximum horses at maximum revs, everythings geared towards winning races. The other 20% are taking hits on Nitro....and that stuff is really hard on parts. Alcohol is really easy on parts.
Timing for maximum power is a double-edged sword. You have to run as much advance as the motor can stand, and because you have to turn rpms to make horses, with the piston speeds involved, you've gotta lead that piston and have it hitting at the right time to make horsepower. Usually we run 2 magneto's and they're locked down, so-to-speak. But with the ignition systems we're running now, we can use computer software that can adjust things so fine, we make alot more power than we did 20 years ago.
That has trickled down to the street stuff....but the good old street motors....I really enjoy their durable, simple, reliability. By that I mean running for years, set a certain way, and you never have to worry about them.
Take oino's situation. Simple, but once the problem was addressed....it straightened itself out. I have always thought of the timing thing as someone skeet shooting. Here comes a piston flying down the bore over 1500-2000 feet per second....the thing has to slow down as it changes directions....and you have to shoot the mixture with a spark at the right time for optimum performance. A little early, makes it run better at high speeds. A little later makes it run better at low speeds....
Its as simple as you make it.....
