What setting does the retard default to?

Reasons to lock the distributor:
1. one less thing to fail
2. fewer questions
3. less maintenance
4. don't understand what an advance curve does
5. bought it that way

The best spark setting for mixed use is not, ever, a single position. Beyond a certain RPM, and assuming WOT, a single setting is very close.

Time to finally make the switch to a Holley Sniper. Then you'll have EFI, plus data logging and a fully adjustable timing curve including start retard built in.

Unlock the distributor and put the correct curve in it. Locking the timing out is wrong.

Running a locked msd pro billet on my 12.5-1 493 . I have a digital 6 w start retard, but still get starter kickback and hard starting from time to time. Very annoying to say the least, but once started it runs awesome. Contemplating swapping distributor for a non locked version, or perhaps wire a start switch so I can get engine cranking first and then hit ignition. Built as a race car that wants to do some street cruising as well. Any thoughts?

Set the initial, idle timing, at or close to 14 to 16 BTDC and total of 34 to 36 BTDC and let us know how that works for you
I use the Mr. Gasket 96B springs (I hope that is the correct part number, maybe I should go look at some on the shelf, it is for GM distributors )

That curve wouldn't even idle in my Hemi. Funny how everyone thinks the same curve works on every engine. Its just a starting point, and you need to work on it to see how the engine responds Each engine likes what it likes, and total and idle will be different engine to engine. We are finding our stroker wedge engines like right around 38* and my buddies 440 that went 6.19 last night has to have 40* in it....

Whats nice about a locked distributor is the idle generally will get better with more timing. To low of idle timing, and the engine will start and stall very quickly, never really getting a strong idle. I find most of my engines like at least 20* in them. Hemis really like 25 at idle. Wedge we find 18 is usually fine. I like to close up the curve as much as possible to where its almost hard to start.

That curve wouldn't even idle in my Hemi. Funny how everyone thinks the same curve works on every engine. Its just a starting point, and you need to work on it to see how the engine responds Each engine likes what it likes, and total and idle will be different engine to engine. We are finding our stroker wedge engines like right around 38* and my buddies 440 that went 6.19 last night has to have 40* in it....

Whats nice about a locked distributor is the idle generally will get better with more timing. To low of idle timing, and the engine will start and stall very quickly, never really getting a strong idle. I find most of my engines like at least 20* in them. Hemis really like 25 at idle. Wedge we find 18 is usually fine. I like to close up the curve as much as possible to where its almost hard to start.

Big lumpy cams in a carbureted deal get locked.

You put the MSD distributor in it with the big bushing and light springs. And still have to make it idle at 1000 for it to stay running. Try to slow it down and the timing backs down, slowing it down even more until it won't run. Or it stalls when you drop it in gear. So you wind the idle up to keep it spinning fast enough to keep some timing in it so it will stay running.

Make a bushing or whatever, to get enough timing in it to idle and it ends up at 25, at least. Well I'm only running 34 and it's all in at 1500. Nothing happens below 3000 in my world, so why bother.

I've done the light springs, make a big bushing, drill the throttle blades, fiddle around with it, and every time I put a few more degrees of base timing in it, it likes it. So...Lock it, set it at 34 or whatever. It will idle at 800 in gear. Response will be sharp and crisp and it sounds happy. Every time.

And I've gone back and tried it the other way because "it's not supposed to be locked and it should have a curve". And the engine tells me "gimme timing".

Anything of mine, or anyone else's who spends the money and lets me, gets a crank trigger and a distributor that just spins the rotor around the cap. Easy, effective, simple.

My 499 840 hp idled at 650 with instant throttle response in gear, timing all in at idle, but was maybe 10 degrees starting so it wouldn’t kick back.
Forgot to add total was 37, never moved it to see if it was better anywhere else.