<VV> Timing Question

[BobHelt at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/29/2010 2:41:57 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
judynrandy at comcast.net writes:

If  retarding your timing hurts fuel mileage, as in trying to do it to 
remedy  "pinging",  shouldn't advancing it a few degrees (from 14 to 18) help 
it,  then? 



Randy,
For each engine speed and loading, there is one correct spark timing  
number. This is called MBT for mean best torque. If the timing is on either side  
of this point, the engine is not at the optimal timing and both torque and  
mileage will be less. Apparently you advanced your timing and increased the 
 torque (snappier you said).thus you were closer to MBT then. Snappier 
means more  torque. More torque means more horsepower. And guess what? That 
lowers  mileage.
Regards,
Bob Helt