I'm running a fairly modded Mustang 2.3T blowthru, the dist. is locked out and I'm running 30 deg. advance, it keeps wanting more. My question is what should be the limit?

22-23 psi of boost, no cladder on pump gas. Cam's advanced approx. 4 deg. Maybe it just flows good, I guess I just keep increasing it till it cladders and then back it off a few deg.?

 

I run 25-27psi with 25* timing with an air to air cooler and alky spray pre compressor and that's pushing the limits. I run 112 fuel at the track to be safe. It seems like your too high and should pull timing to be safe. Advancing the cam makes the problem even worse as it builds more cylinder pressure. Even though you can't hear it it's detonating or pre igniting and ready to break parts would be my guess.

 

Good grief that's a lot of timing . Are you running any meth injection?

 

If I crank it back below 24 deg. and kill it it pops out the exhaust and plugs are black, above 24 deg. runs like crazy, plugs clear up, the more the better. The cam is set correct, then advanced 4 deg. I was just thinking it flows really good, maybe that helps. No meth. Large intercooler.

 

is your balancer marked correctly

 

Yep, crank pulley marked correct. Maybe it's special, lol. Hell I don't know, if somethings wrong I'm sure it will show itself, I was just curious as to the total amount of timing. It's not clattering, I'll hold it at 30 deg. and see what happens, maybe it will break(without damage to anything else) the crank and I can tell my wife I have to have a new forged crank, lol. Thanks guys!

 

You are also probably relying on a plastic timing cover as your indicator. It sounds like a lot of timing but the indicator may be off by several degrees. A good large intercooler helps. Logging any IAT's?

Beyond that were you at the dyno or track to see if the additional timing improved performance? At some point it'll take power away.

 

I vote what you think is 30 really is not. Granted it is fuel dependant, but I have had several 2.3's on the dyno, and have never found they like any where near the timing people say. The higher power cars need less at the same boost level. Most medium cammed/ok ported head cars seam to like 22-23 if running about 25 psi, and I have never been able to run that much at lower rpm (normally have about 15-16 in at peak boost onset). More timing doesn't result in more power withing the range of repeatability of the dyno.

I have at least one friend running e-85 with Bo's stage 3 stuff, and when he swept timing on the dyno he found it actually peaked at 18 degrees total.

These are all cars with tooth wheels on the crank, and while a distributor likely does not directly compare, it should not vary more than 2-3 degrees.

 

BlownShovel

No plastic timing cover, here's what I have, it is a 79 2.3 turbo, I modded this thing over the years. I changed the crank pulley to an EFI(I guess that what it is, reads on the drivers side), and the pointer is this:
http://opmd.com/main.cfm?tpl=product.cfm&pid=641
I use a timing light, distributor is locked out.

Wesk

It's an SVO head from Esslinger, ported and polished by Bo(flows 264 int./217 exh.), fairly hot cam Esslinger 2233 with .655 lift, GT35R turbo and a 390 C&S areosol billet carb, intercooler is 24 x 12 x 3, feels cool after I run it, on the carb bonnet that is. I kept noticing the plugs stayed black and it would pop out the exhaust after shutdown at 23 deg., moved it up to 27 deg. ran better no poping after shutdown, moved it to 30 deg. and left it, plugs cleared up, feels great, no cladder @ 22 psi. I timed the cam with a bar, then advanced it 4 deg. I don't know I'll check the cam again. It made 439 on the dyno 2 years ago, and it feels better now, way better. But it does seem lik alot of timing.

 

DOESNT THE OLD SAYING GO " THEY RUN THE BEST RIGHT BEFORE THEY'RE ABOUT TO BLOW"...HAHAmy dad always said that to me... man seeing that much timing and that much boost shocked the hell out of me!!! i just got my 2.3t on the road at 12psi of boost and a timing curve that maxes out at 18deg @3500 rpms.. its a centrificul advance msd.... i dont have a head that flows as good as you im sure. but my car also suffers from not enough timing i think?, kinda rich... DO YOU THINK I WOULD BENIFIT FROM AN MSD BTM BOX I ALREADY HAVE A 6AL? IS IT WORTH IT TO RETARD TIMING IF IM SO LOW AT A BOOST LEVEL?? KEEP US POSTED ON WHAT YOU DO FOR TIMING IM VERYI NTERESTED, AS I HAVE HEARD THAT THESE ENGINES LOVE TIMING...

 

DOESNT THE OLD SAYING GO " THEY RUN THE BEST RIGHT BEFORE THEY'RE ABOUT TO BLOW"...HAHAmy dad always said that to me... man seeing that much timing and that much boost shocked the hell out of me!!! i just got my 2.3t on the road at 12psi of boost and a timing curve that maxes out at 18deg @3500 rpms.. its a centrificul advance msd.... i dont have a head that flows as good as you im sure. but my car also suffers from not enough timing i think?, kinda rich... DO YOU THINK I WOULD BENIFIT FROM AN MSD BTM BOX I ALREADY HAVE A 6AL? IS IT WORTH IT TO RETARD TIMING IF IM SO LOW AT A BOOST LEVEL?? KEEP US POSTED ON WHAT YOU DO FOR TIMING IM VERYI NTERESTED, AS I HAVE HEARD THAT THESE ENGINES LOVE TIMING...

 

Thats a crazy amount of timing, either your timing marks/indicators arent right or your cam is way out, 4 degrees on the cam is too much, i tried putting mine at 3 and didint want to run. so i have it set a 1 degree and the ignition timing is set about 20 degrees with 25psi and 93oct. no problems here.

 

I belive on mine Ive got it locked at 28 I think its been a while but im also running a blow threw LPG, 110 octane but im also all stock from pan to head. I do have boost turned up to about 20 and it runs good. I need to get an msd yet, it seems real sluggish down low. just my .02