The 1P 98bhp motor as mine is has a knock sensor as standard,
my motor which has the timing set at 10 deg BTDC, has also had the cat removed and replaced by 2 side by side GTI front boxes,
a straight through pipe then leads to the rear (std) box, this along with replacing the standard Syncro computer with a chipped up 8V GTI one, gives me approximately 125 or so ponys, it now pulls in 5th like it used to pull in 3rd [}
]
Pinking dosn’t always happen with a lost of power, pinking is a tinkling sound when the engine is under load. in crude terms the ignition fires and the mixture ignites so far before TDC that the piston is still on the way up when the bang tries to make it go down and the piston rattles (tinkling). This puts tremendous pressure on the piston crown and will punch a hole through it either sooner or later.
best power is always with max ignition advance, ie pinking then backed off a bit.[
]
Hmmm – i understadn the theory, just have never heard the tinkling sound…perhaps it’s because my exhaust is pretty loud 
When I first started messing with timing this was a worry, hence working in baby steps. I figured I’d have melted something by now if my method was bad but so far so good
Melting things is not the best way of finding out your ignition is a bit too far advanced!!!
the principle is sound enough though []
anyway HH what are you going to do about your ECU?
What happened there then…why all the big space?
Final thought..people pay £100’s on extra’s to get their cars to perform better. best bang for buck in a country mile (Country [][]) is a rolling road session with someone who knows what they are doing. Max cost is about £80 + fuel and your engine will never have run so well!
> Melting things is not the best way of finding out your ignition is a bit too far advanced!!!
the principle is sound enough though
indeed but I didn’t have a lot of other options when I first started experimenting with it but I had a spare motor… circumstances and finances dictated the course of events more than anything else.
Rolling road tune would be the optimal solution but I was quoted closer to £3-400 for a decent tune on a 4wd rolling road. I’d have gone for that £80 option too otherwise
