Set "total" timing on a stock 318 two-barrel where?

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

Open chamber with 140 psi likes 36 total on typical 87 octane

Open chamber with 190 psi likes 28 total on 91... meaning less if 89 octane is used and and even less if 87 octane is used, like say...24.


Those examples are half useless when you figure the chamber itself has a preference...then the octane allows or prohibits more or even less.

Most sb mopar don't like more than 36...
With stock 140psi squeeze
The factory testing shows 30 degrees with all else optimal 'squeeze' is best..
Optimal? That means a completely dialed and matched setup of tune and stall and gearing... yes... the examples are now useless ... almost. If the gear is steap...more can be dialed in
What to do?
Take it out to the track and increase it till the mph drops off then lower it back to the highest mph and that's its fav total timing.

Initial timing by testing for the best neck snap and tire burning you can get...aka 60 ft Without it detonating, pinging ...
If the squeeze is weak... you can pretty much run it locked at the total.. but you could also run it locked out if you run in a specific RPM range like say if the torque converter stalls at 5 grand. Makes a big diff and what you're doing with that car to begin with racing or street.

All in all, you need to test what works best for your combo , gears, convertor, cam..

Let's say 4.57 gears ... stock cam...
And it likes 38 degrees best... now put 3.55 gears in it... now it pings...
Back it down to 34 or less and it's good again. Why? It's called load.
Let's say you gutted the car... its 2800 lbs....and it likes 34....
Now put your 2 friends in the back, 180lbs each for a 360 lbs increase...
Now it pings... take out 2 degrees and it's good again...
That's also ragged edge tuning of course, but it's good as an example.. most of us will leave a couple degrees room so that the car doesn't have to be tuned every time the weight changes or the weather changes, but for the track or guys like me I'll tune a ragged Edge and basically leave no room for variables in weather or passenger weight. I'm half asleep so if you don't get that LOL take it or leave it

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

I used to run 35 degrees total timing in my bracket race small block Mopar as recommended by most race manuals. I was wondering if the total timing suggested for competition at 35 degrees would apply to a stock 1972 318? Don't have a dyno, so what have others found to be the best timing set? Thank you.

In your case, or this case, I would say the compression could be a little higher so it ends up more closer to 30