If you pull the spout out and leave timing at 14 degrees, your car will be slow!!
I remember one day at the track i was racing and i bumped my timing from 10 to 14 degrees. I forgot to put the spout back in. All day long i was running 15.0-15.2 and wondering what the hell was wrong. I went home pissed.
Next day as i was cleaning up the car, i found the damn spout connector sitting on my radiator. I felt stupid.
Usually when guys lock timing, they set it to 34 degrees or something like that