How you going to learn if you don't test, especially testing at a good track

Hundreds of millions of engines made with curves since the Model T (manual advance).
Too bad they didn't realize you don't need it.

Whether you believe in it or not, physics is always there.

This could all be resolved by a simple test with an in-cylinder pressure transducer. It's been done, by F1, Ferrari, Mercedes, and every auto manufacturer.

I'm not dealing with OEM spec engines much. An engine that operates primarily at part throttle from idle to 3000 RPM is a different animal from a race deal that's either on or off. Or even a race deal with tags that idles around on the street some on a Saturday night.

Big, lumpy cam = >240*-245* @ .050. <10" vacuum. Usually a roller of some type.

An electronic means of retarding timing when starting, high gear retards, pulling timing at the hit on a big power, suck track deal, are all great ideas to be able to do. But some of us are doing the KISS with just a 7AL with a crank trigger and a carb deal. So basically I don't need a curve. Also, race cars should have separate start and ignition switches to be able to spin the engine with the ignition off anyway. Easy to do, even if you're still using a stock ignition switch.

Having the thing fall back 15* or 20* from total timing usually ends up making you open the carb to make it idle. Now you've upset the throttle blade/transfer slot relationship or drilled holes in the blades. Either way, you're doing stuff to the carb you wouldn't have if it had the timing in it. I typically set the throttle/transfer slot relationship by eye, install the carb and keep my fingers off the idle speed screws for all but fine adjustments. If it won't idle, I fix the reason for it. Maybe a little air bleed somewhere.

Big roller, 800 RPM in gear without having my foot on the gas. Plugs a little hotter than most run, Sit and idle like that all day if I want.

I was running a locked-out MSD Pro-billet distributor on my RB. I swapped it out with one of the recently released Progressive Ignition bluetooth programmable distributors. With some guidance from AndyF, I ended up with my own custom ignition table that lets the motor crank at a low timing setting, but as soon as it starts the timing goes to 34* by 750 rpm.

The reason I switched was to add the adjustable vacuum advance to my set-up. Now, at cruising RPM I have 44* total. Attached is an example of one of the tables I tried before settling on what I just described. It's for illustrative purposes only. The numbers in the left colum are MAP readings, which account for atmospheric pressure.

Essentially, it gives me start retard, locked-out timing and vacuum advance. It also lets me see what the timing is doing in real time and make changes on my cell phone. So far everything is working flawlessly.

Tony, I have a slightly used MSD starter saver sitting in my cabinet that you can have if you want to try it. I don't need it anymore since I went digital. I assume this is the same module that you are currently using? Maybe yours is flaky so swapping in another one might eliminate that variable. No guarantees that this isn't also flaky. I never fully tested it. We used it a few times on the dyno but couldn't confirm that it was really working so we switched over to the method of spinning the engine before hitting the switch. Eventually we just went digital and EFI and built the start retard right into the map. Shoot me a PM if you want this MSD module.