1FZ Ignition Timing discussion (performance, mpg, octane, etc.) (1 Viewer)

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OK, I know our low compression engines don't require anything higher than 87* and I've always been a firm believer that higher octane in a low CR engine is just a waste of money, however, I know quite a few here (me included) have noticed some SOTP performance gains in their rigs by advancing the timing a few degrees :hmm:

I'd like to get a little discussion going on our own personal experiences :steer:

When I first got my 80, she was originally set ~5*

After replacing a leaky O-ring, I figured I'd try the stock 3* setting, but she turned out to be a total dog and got even worse gas mileage (didn't think that was even possible lol)

A few days later, I bumped her back up to ~6* and she felt a bit peppier than before (much better than the OEM setting)

I later bumped her up to ~8* and she felt only slightly better power wise, but then I heard some light pinging under part throttle.

Rather than dial it back, I instead filled her up with mid grade (89*) and the pinging vanished.

Went through a few tanks this way and noticed I was getting around 20-30 more miles between fill ups.

Not much of a gain in mpg, but with the added power, I felt it was well worth the extra few bucks at the pump :steer:

Drove her like this for a while and would switch back and forth between 87 and 89 octane depending on weather and vehicle load.

Not surprisingly, the few times I was able to fill her with non-Ethanol 87*, she performed even better without a hint of pinging regardless of load and got almost 50 miles more per tank :clap:

Since non-ethanol fuel is getting harder and harder to find and fuel prices just keep going up, I dialed her back to ~7* a few weeks ago and that seems to be the limit for running Ethanol 87* :meh:

Anyways, after playing around with the timing on my '69 Road Runner for the past few days (apples to oranges, I know), I found she made the most power and got the best gas mileage running as much timing as possible on pump gas, but still under the factory total timing setting, so she still has a bit left for when I fill her with race gas.

So now this has me thinking about pushing the limits of timing on my Cruiser and possibly stepping up to 91* or even 93* just to experiment :hmm:

For those that have messed around with your timing settings, post up your experiences.

How much advance?

Fuel type used?

Performance gain?

MPG?

Lighter wallet?
 
i havent seen non ethanol on the east coast , definitely not NYC. i am not always paying attention though. subscribed, to see if the 91 octane helps at all .
i would switch to that if i could offset the gas mileage .

OK, I know our low compression engines don't require anything higher than 87* and I've always been a firm believer that higher octane in a low CR engine is just a waste of money, however, I know quite a few here (me included) have noticed some SOTP performance gains in their rigs by advancing the timing a few degrees :hmm:

I'd like to get a little discussion going on our own personal experiences :steer:

When I first got my 80, she was originally set ~5*

After replacing a leaky O-ring, I figured I'd try the stock 3* setting, but she turned out to be a total dog and got even worse gas mileage (didn't think that was even possible lol)

A few days later, I bumped her back up to ~6* and she felt a bit peppier than before (much better than the OEM setting)

I later bumped her up to ~8* and she felt only slightly better power wise, but then I heard some light pinging under part throttle.

Rather than dial it back, I instead filled her up with mid grade (89*) and the pinging vanished.

Went through a few tanks this way and noticed I was getting around 20-30 more miles between fill ups.

Not much of a gain in mpg, but with the added power, I felt it was well worth the extra few bucks at the pump :steer:

Drove her like this for a while and would switch back and forth between 87 and 89 octane depending on weather and vehicle load.

Not surprisingly, the few times I was able to fill her with non-Ethanol 87*, she performed even better without a hint of pinging regardless of load and got almost 50 miles more per tank :clap:

Since non-ethanol fuel is getting harder and harder to find and fuel prices just keep going up, I dialed her back to ~7* a few weeks ago and that seems to be the limit for running Ethanol 87* :meh:

Anyways, after playing around with the timing on my '69 Road Runner for the past few days (apples to oranges, I know), I found she made the most power and got the best gas mileage running as much timing as possible on pump gas, but still under the factory total timing setting, so she still has a bit left for when I fill her with race gas.

So now this has me thinking about pushing the limits of timing on my Cruiser and possibly stepping up to 91* or even 93* just to experiment :hmm:

For those that have messed around with your timing settings, post up your experiences.

How much advance?

Fuel type used?

Performance gain?

MPG?

Lighter wallet?
 
My hg popped shortly after I bought mine so after the hg, I bumped the timing to 7* and run 87. I consistently average about 12 mpg with best being about 15. Now that I have 35's I have quit tracking mpg. There could be power gains with more timing and higher octane, but this would ideally be tested on a dyno. Just adding timing until it knocks isn't always best as it could stop making more power before it knocks.
 
I think mine was advanced a bit above stock. Had it higher but got the pinging so I backed it down. I used to have a list of blacklisted gas stations that went to 10% ethanol but I had to throw it away because they all are now around here.
 
When making these small adjustments may want to verify the accuracy (0 is exactly TDC) of the timing marks on the balancer/timing cover. I've checked other engines in the past and seen them off a little and a lot. Wouldn't matter when comparing changes to one engine but could when comparing to a different engine. Same with the odometer when comparing fuel mileage.
 
I just tried this.

I set the static timing to 6* BTDC, from it's stock 3* setting.

I need to take some trips up the hill for some BC boarding or to wet a fly or something to really know what's going on, but seat-of-the-pants impression on the flatlands here suggests that it really helps both performance and economy. Off the line it is a totally different truck than before. Cruising on the freeway, according to my scangauge anyway, it's using much less of it's "LOD". So it seems and feels to be running more efficiently. Again, this is only like 30 miles since I made the adjustment.

We'll see...
 
97 LX
timing set to around 7-8 degrees
SoCal gas 87
Power gain-yes!
MPG gain-maybe(with more power I've been more lead footed)

Overall well worth the 10 minutes of my time. Spinning 77lb 35s and don't think it's bad at all.


...Misspelled via IH8MUD app
 
Qball and I had this exact conversation today. I was getting some recent pinging at low rpm's and it was suggested to me to bump up to higher octane which I did. Put in a tank of 91 and some techron then ran a little seafoam through the brake booster and she runs much nicer w 0 pinging. I'm going to advance the timing this week to see how it plays out.
 
If you want to find where you can get ethanol-free gas, check out http://pure-gas.org/ - they have lists and prices and all that jazz. As a matter of fact, I'm glad this was brought up because the Wawa that just opened by my house now carries 87 pure, and it's around $4.50/gal.

I'll set mine later this week and see what I get as well.
 
Been running 97 since day one...in 97.

I was running 6* for a few years before the rebuild. After the rebuild and the addition of the SC AND because I needed to pass smog, I moved it back to 3*. I would consider moving back up but I need to reread about the timing with the SC because I don't recall off hand.

And I'm in SoCal so I am royally F'D trying to get Ethanol-free.
 
Ah yes, the heart of the ghetto

I'm there quite a bit (almost got carjacked near there lol)

Does the EF pump accept credit cards or is it a stand alone pump?

There's a BP I go to on I-95 near Jacksonville that uses the same pump and nozzle as the rest of the E10 fuel.

Yes, newer style pumps w/credit card pay. Blue handles on the ethanol-free stuff.
 
Been running 97 since day one...in 97.

I was running 6* for a few years before the rebuild. After the rebuild and the addition of the SC AND because I needed to pass smog, I moved it back to 3*. I would consider moving back up but I need to reread about the timing with the SC because I don't recall off hand.

And I'm in SoCal so I am royally F'D trying to get Ethanol-free.

Closest one to me is redding.

:lol:
 

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