Too much timing?

Johnny Dart said

I don't understand why you guys insist on running so much timming on your mild motors. There is absolutely no reason to run 20degs initial on a mild small block, especially when your total is way off the scale.. Most mild SB's run just fine around 12-34. If you are at a track, ok try some different settings. But for an every day driver/street car, there is no reason to ring the car out on the jagged edge over timming it. 12-14/34-36 will be more than sufficient.

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Just what is "mild"? A comp XE268H likes anywhere from 16-20 initial timing in almost every car I've ever tuned. And to me that is a VERY mild camshaft. Stock 318, 340's and 360's like 12-14. Start putting larger cams in them and that number goes up.

Initial timing doesn't kill anything... total timing is where you get hurt. And getting the complete system (initial, total, curve) correct takes a little work.

Engines will tell you what they want for initial timing. Give them what they want within the mechanical limits of the total system and be done with it. Dialing back on timing is a crutch and was done by the factory for one purpose, to meet emissions guidelines. That's why later cars were timed at such crappy initial settings. 68-69 cars barely had sufficient initial timing by the book.