I towed 5000 lbs up some big passes last night with the AC on and 87 octane (up to 10% ethanol) in the tank and did not hear one ping out of it I would hate to figure out what my dynamic compression is, true 10 to 1 static and a stock cam

Be interested in seeing the ignition timing program. The factory timing is way conservative and if it's been death flashed its even worse. When I've knocked 10 degrees out of a good tune I always lost performance but would run on crappy gas.

Dave, what was the elevation of the passes? That can make a HUGE difference in octane requirements.

Remember one Smokey Yunick built Pikes Peak racer that had the warning, IIRC, do not start under 7600 ft elevation?

R.

Altitude will affect dynamic cranking compression and dynamic compression ratio. The cooler weather racing will cause the numbers to go up. So "figure" up your pump gas build at zero altitude type racing weather. The cam specs your posted do not show timing events either the higher the Intake Valve closing ABDC greatly helps.

"Altitude will affect... dynamic compression ratio."

How?

The air is thinner and shows less pressure for any given compression ratio.

The Dynamic compression "ratio" stays the same, but the cylinder pressure is reduced with altitude.
A dynamic compression ratio of 8:1 should create cranking cylinder pressures of about 163.5 psi at sea-level (14.7 psi air pressure), but around Denver, the air pressure is around 12.0 psi, so the same engine (dynamic compression of 8:1) would only have a cranking cylinder pressure of about 133.5 psi. FWIW, 7:1 dynamic at sea-level (137.2 psi) is about the same cylinder pressure as 8:1 dynamic in Denver.

2000 ft to 4000 foot and 95 degrees, factory timing on my mac mentor shows around 30* at and near WOT. Never heard of a 318 getting a death flash only 5.9s. I actually had more pinging before milling the block and going to thinner head gaskets.