>>>*Good tips here, I might add that the setting slightly retarded may actually be correct for the combination.

Another possibility is the engine may have an aftermarket RV style cam, this can also require a tad less timing advance due to increased cylinder pressures. Normally most by themselves don't really affect the required setting, but add in other changes and the effect begins to stack up.

Of course as mentioned the head was likely surfaced, and increased compression enters into the mix, too.

It is certainly possible that a small retard of the timing will be a better setting, not affect power any, and result in even some small economy increase.....*EB

EB...i retarded the timing all the way to 5btdc WITHOUT TE1 and E1 bridged, very very minimal spark knock now. Hard to tell but performance seems same as before, maybe a little better or maybe just my imagination. Will it hurt anything to have the timing that much retarded?
Thanks

its gonna hurt the skinny pedal, aka the fun pedal. 22r motors arent known for power to begin with

correcting the timing that way is treating the symptom, not the cause.

start methodically checking everything that could possibly be causing the spark knock. get a troubleshooting guide(FSM is great or Haynes is ok)

My 22RE('91,R Cab) knocked big time w/ 87 octane, minimally w/ '91 octane, then the long block was replaced w/ rebuilt at 160K miles, using all the old engine control/fuel systems, etc. Spark knock IDENTICAL as before, thereby proving that, in this case, it had nothing to do w/ "carbon buildup" in the cylinders. I like the "crud in the EGR tube" idea...
Incidentally, when I drive around at higher altitudes not in CA(Utah,etc) the knock goes away. Just repoting the facts over here.

Wonder if you could be running lean at lower altitudes and causing excess heat and pre-ignition. Then as altitide increases you in effect become richer due to less dense air and the cylinder temps drop getting rid of the pre-ignition. Wonder if you may be having fuel pressure, or flow problems.

We know it runs "on the lean side" for smog reasons, but how would I be able to tell the difference between "normal lean" and "too lean"? I'm not crazy about launching a blind parts-changing expedition on this one. Cheers...

get an A/F ratio gauge. pull the EFI fuse for a few seconds will help the EFI re-adjust from altitude.

Run about half a quart of Marvel Mystery oil in your gas tank every time you fill for a few weeks. It will help remove the carbon build up. This stuff works awsome no joke!!! And as far as figuring out what is too lean you will have to get a EGT gauge. A air/fuel ratio gauge only tells you what the computer is saying not what it is actually doing. EGT tells you excatly what is going on.

An A/F gauge will tell you what the 02 sensor is saying.. Well, it'll tell you if you're on the rich or lean side of 14.7:1 anyway. I think it's worth while, even with a narrowband for debugging EFI problems.

How you'd use an EGT gauge to tell if your engine is rich or lean, I really have no idea... Running rich/lean does impact EGT, but with no point of reference it'd be hard to tell what the deal is.

I've got a wideband and EGT now.. The EGT is the least useful of the two.

EGT Exhaust Gas Temp. Here is how it works the leaner you are running the hotter your exhaust gas/cyl head temp, richer you will run cooler. EGT is the most useful gauge you can have hands down. And remember slightly richer is usually better to help keep the head cooler.