knock retard is something of a paradox.. its like a metric crecent wrench... Knock is an uncontrolled propagation of a flame front and/or multiple flame fronts propagating from a source OTHER than the spark kernal... Retard is when the total timing advance is pulled BECAUSE the ECU senses knock.

when your timing gets pulled, that means that your ignition point is delayed. that means that the combustion event occurs later in the power stroke, meaning that the intake charge is still burning as it exits the exhaust valve during the exhaust stroke... so then there is more of a flame kernel entering the exhaust manifold which means that there is pure fire licking that EGT probe, which means that it has not coold down yet, which NOW means that it will yeild a hotter EGT than if the combustion event occured under normal circumstances and cronological order. when you have real fire in the exhaust, or more than normal, youll have higher EGT's, same if you are overly rich and the intake charge is still burning the excess fuel as it begins to enter the exhaust manifold during the exhaust stroke.

just cuz your EGT didnt go up when you detonated/knocked doesnt mean that everyone elses wont... cuz they will, ive seen it happen, and i know it happens... EGT's is not a way to tune, its like a narrowband AF meter... it only gives you an idea of whats happening. and by the time the EGT meter reacts, bad shit has already happend and URFUCT.

the ONLY REAL way to tune is via ignition timing advance and Knock sums... if you dnot have a way to tune by it, you are only tuning with half the info. you can still knock/detonate even if you have a 12:1 AF ratio, or even 11:1. its still possible. but, if you arent knocking, then the ECU says its ok to advance timing... and when you see the timing advance, that means you arent knocking and you can push the envelope a little further. if your timing is 'mysteriously' being retarded that means you are getting knock, somewhere/somehow. If this happens, we know that adding fuel will cool the fire and allow for a more controlled combustion event and hopefully put detonation/knock off to a higher level. when it comes to tuning, i thank God i have a 1G DSM and not some haX0Rd turbo kit or non-readable ECU-equipped vehicle... oh wait, the TCCS in the MK3 supera is un-readable. DAMMIT!