Why don't manufactures set the timing to be optimal for horsepower when the cars come from the factory?

In other words, what's the downside of advancing your timing till you stop gaining horsepower (talking about N/A engines of course).

fuel economy and emissions Im sure
also cars tend to be made more streetable or more for the average driver who doesnt like rough shifts,jerky feelings,etc..

if they advanced timing that much and you got a batch of bad gas more then likely detonation would destroy your motor.

and 9/10 times youd be under warranty and that would just cost the manufacturer money.

When mess with your timing is when you have aftermarket parts witch are letting more air or fuel in. You need to time it so you won’t be running to lean or to rich (well timing helps this anyways)

I mean u can time a stock 420a but wont yield the amount of power as if u had mods done...it tunes in all your parts witch are putting in more the car was intended to have.

I would think that that’s the main reason

More timeing does not always yeild more power. Properly adjusted timeing will make more power.

Originally posted by xtrickedeclipsex
When mess with your timing is when you have aftermarket parts witch are letting more air or fuel in. You need to time it so you won’t be running to lean or to rich (well timing helps this anyways) I mean u can time a stock 420a but wont yield the amount of power as if u had mods done...it tunes in all your parts witch are putting in more the car was intended to have. I would think that that’s the main reason

are u confusing cam timing and ignition timing.

Cam timing (when valves open\close) is kinda on the conservative side on most car because of emissions, fuel economy, and driveability.

Ignition timing (when spark plug fires) is kinda on the conservative side on most car because of emissions, the widespread useage of 87 octane, and driveability.

uhhhh no..im talking about CAM timing....

When you have many after market parts, such as (turbo,, nitrous) wich is putting way more power then the car was intended to have, you need to time your cams so your valves will open at and close at a rate wich is sutied for a forced induction car (when it was never ment to be forced induction) My injectors and cam shafts made my car lumpy and not so smooth at all rpms.... when we tuned them in with the cam gears it smoothed my power band all the way though...

thats what im saying

the posters original question was about ignition timing not cam timing.