On my setup i'm running 16* timing btdc on 87 octane with no pinging, i didnt even bother trying to go higher to see if it would ping i just stopped at 16. Is this normal? I thought to run this timing i would need higher octane. Is this because my car might be running rich as hell?
Maybe you just have a really good quality gas in the car I suppose running a tad rich could help detonation... But I tend to think you just have really good, clean, quality 89 Octane in there.
For instance, with the old T Type, it was fussy and Sunoco 94 was what it drank. One night I was low, went to 7-11 pumped in 10 bucks of 91 octane [car was literally on "E"]. Boost was set at 17 PSI in 3rd... [had some boost creep]. I was getting about 8* of knock retard around 85 MPH in 3rd on the scan tool, so I turned the boost down to 15 PSI and the car was fine no knock... didnt run as fast as at 17 PSI but still. I was surprised because usually the 91 octane stuff all over town was junk and I could get away with maybe 11 PSI tops. 7-11 unknown brand gas and I was boosting 15 PSI..
it could be good gas....but, i'd bet that at some point in time the timing pointer on your balancer got knocked out of position or was shipped like that. either way all that matters is how well she runs