What do you think using a -50 to +50 degrees slider to replace the 0-100 timing slider. Just for display without reprogramming for example 100 will be +50° advanced and 0 will be -50° retarded.
Image from my ODB Dash Command Telemetry.
I don’t know how that could work, the reason it isn’t a fixed value of ignition timing is that it doesn’t make sense to set one specific timing value when a real timing map looks like this.
The current timing setting represents an overall tuning strategy of how aggressively the ignition timing is advanced (which is why EFI cars with more complex timing control let you run more timing)
[quote=“Daffyflyer”]I don’t know how that could work, the reason it isn’t a fixed value of ignition timing is that it doesn’t make sense to set one specific timing value when a real timing map looks like this.
The current timing setting represents an overall tuning strategy of how aggressively the ignition timing is advanced (which is why EFI cars with more complex timing control let you run more timing)[/quote]
The reason the real graph looks like that is because there are many ways to adjust timing. Modern computers and variable timing motors can adjust their timing within preset parameters. Older engines used vacuum and mechanical timing adjustments based on the real time instantaneous physics that the car was experiencing at that moment. However, every car has a set timing that is determined by the positioning of the crankshaft. Back in the day, you had different timing sets with different cranks that could be swapped in and out of motors. (For example: a 1973 Ford 460 CID V8 has a camshaft that is retarded 8 degrees after top dead center, whereas a 1972 Ford 460 CID V8 would have a top dead center timed crankshaft, but you can still tune the timing via the distributor.)
Depending on how you have timing programmed into the game as a whole, you could make the ignition timing show as degrees. However, in order to do that, you would have to break out timing into many other variables. Based on other threads regarding valve lift, overlap, and duration, I don’t think you want to get excessively technical with timing.
Thanks for the explanation though.