Despite what bullshit others are saying about dynamic/cranking... it IS important.
Could be chasing your tail. Definitely wasting your time IF you were determined to a particular total timing and fight tooth n nail to tune out the ping.
I fall into the middle of the crowd, I definitely am a proponent of running high cyl pressures and maximizing the usage of the octane in search for thee most power tq/efficiency out of my combos. I also start out at 30 total when its blueprinted 'already known to be boarderline or on the high side for the fuel' and work from there 2 degrees at a time up or move to 25 and go from there. Depends on the parts. Some stuff will NOT tolerate more than a few clacks @ wot before you hurt the ring lands.
The others can cheerlead for each other and their method of proving some nonsensical 'over the shoulder not even looking' way of tuning... good for them.
That's not my way to dial in a new motor, that's for sure.
So if it doesn't surge at cruise ..the primary isn't far off...if it doesn't blubber, it's not too fat. You don't have any jerking on acceleration ...so your pump shots not necessarily an issue ...what's left- the timing is. Does it do it at 30 total?
Have you put a bottle of booster in it to see if it stops/give it octane?
What do the plugs look like, pictures?
