Ok, i got my timing advanced from 15 btdc to 17 btdc and it made my car slower, wtf? I didnt really notice anything driving it on the streets but I just took it on the freeway and it added seconds to my 60-100 time. Needless to say im kinda ****ed off. Ideas anyone? Who has had this done and exactly what difference did you feel?

The data moniter showed my car was bouncing between 17 and 18 btdc after being set to 17 from 15. I remember someone else described the same thing and said it was not a problem. Could this have something to do with it?

I used 91 octane from a good chevron station (no 93 in cali). I'm guessing that im getting knock and the ecu is retarding the timing. I guess im going to have the dealer put it back down to 15.

btw i have the following mods: intake, midpipe, y-pipe, test pipe, and b-pipe.

 

Advice? You already said it..

Or you can take the advice of someone else who went through what you're going through...

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....iming+retarded

 

Perhaps you did not read the thread so let me explain. MiniRX7 said he felt no difference except maybe a little lag around 3k AFTER retarding the timing back. Then y2kse said he did it and felt a big difference, and then foodmanry did it and said he felt a big difference. The thread can sort of be summed up with what y2kse said on the very last page:

"Yet another testimonial from a satisfied Max owner.
Advancing the timing to 17 degrees BTDC is a simple, inexpensive mod that's within factory spec and doesn't void your warranty. Try it. You'll like it. "

So, who was it again in that thread that felt a big loss in power after having their timing advanced?

 

sorry, you're right. That's the thread I remembered about the advanced/retarded timing and how the first person to get it done didn't think it actually did anything once he had it put back.

I'm not a big fan of the butt dyno and it seems you're the only one who's done anything even remotely close to actually 'measuring' the effects of advanced timing. I still say your best bet is summed up in your original post I guess im going to have the dealer put it back down to 15.

 

the only performance mod i have that you dont is the udp. i had the timing advance and felt a small bump in low end torque. i felt no change up top. my timing was bouncing between 17 and 18 and i had it checked 2 weeks later and it was stuck at 17. the only difference i could think of would be the difference in gas grade. i would take it back and make sure they set it at the proper timing. if its at 17, then i would drop it back down to give you peace of mind.

 

Thanks for the input. I just took my car back out and im really not sure if it made things better or worse now. I got a lower 60-100 time than i did earlier, this time after doing some WOT freeway runs (the time was still a bit higher than before advance). I think my ecu may have just needed to adapt to WOT freeway driving after driving like a granny through thick traffic (or maybe the AC was on, although i could swear i turned it off before). At any rate, i will go back out when traffic clears up entirely and do some more testing.

Also, would i know it if i had knock? I would feel my car suddenly slow down like a fuel cut, right? I havent noticed anything like that.

btw, im sure they set it to 17 because i watched the tech do it and got a printout.

 

I don't know, i think my butt was playgint tricks on me on my 2k2.. I still haven't advanced it on my 2k3, but i will try again to see what the difference is..

ED

 

Heh, i think my butt might be playing tricks on me too. I honestly can't say if this helped or hurt my performance. Someone needs to do a before and after dyno to see if they get anything.

I just got back from playing with my car. The acceleration seems to be about the same and my top speed is the same. Its not really different enough for me to dicern a difference with a stopwatch, and the butt dyno isnt reading a gain, so i dunno. Could 45k old spark plugs make a difference with the timing advance? Just a thought since im having them changed this week.

 

plugs could play a big part. some here waited til around 65k to change them and regret waiting that long. maybe 45k would be a more appropriate mileage. i would buy new plugs and pull the current ones. check them for use and if they are fine put them back in, if not youve got new ones to replace them with.