I am not trying to take sides here, but, IMO the camshaft has too late a closing event for that (whatever it is) compression ratio. This is why you can crank in so much initial timing.........essentially why you HAVE to for it to run well.
That's no insult to you or whomever built it, it's just a fact. You could be making more power with either A) more static compression and the same camshaft, or B) a camshaft with an earlier closing event to build more cylinder pressure.
You have 9.6:1 compression and a camshaft with a later IVC, more overlap and more duration @.050" than the factory 340 camshaft in an engine rated at 10.2:1. All those "mores" add up to lower "than could be" cylinder pressure. Those are the facts..
This means that theoretically, your camshaft "should be smaller" (earlier IVC) than the factory 340 camshaft.
That doesn't mean it's a dog. That just explains why you have to have so much initial timing. With a "smaller" (earlier IVC) camshaft, OR more SCR, you would make probably a substantial amount more power, because doing either would raise the DCR.
Just my 2 cents.
