So are both valves closed to shut off the cylinder? It doesn't seem feasible. I would think that they'd leave the exhaust valve alone and allow it to be opening normally all the time to relieve cylinder pressure.
Brobards in answer to your timing question. My drag car has timing at 45 degrees btdc.
I really don't think timing is your issue, you need more fuel. the huge amounts of fuel being run through the intake will cool the motor down so much that detonation should be non existent, allowing gobs of...
I've got a car that runs 8.2 in the 1/4 consistently. 1000 hp, 20 #'s of boost on methanol.
it's tuned to 4 to 1 afr. What's good on paper isn't what works in the real world.
when I multiply 14.64 by .65 I come up with 9.55.
How do you get to 9.8?