05 Mustang VCT Question

[ChopperDoc]

Okay so I am doing my first Ford VCT Tune here, as normally I am a GM guy. I just installed a set of FRPP Hot Rod cams in the wife's 05 Mustang. All was good as far as my understanding of the VCT tables until I read the FRPP Installation instructions. In the instructions it says the VCT numbers are referencing RETARD. However, the numbers are positive, which means that if this IS true, the rest of the table is all RETARD?

Going by that, this means that the cam gets more and more retarded towards low RPM, and "advanced" up high. This makes absolutely NO sense at all to me, as normally, on ANY other car or cam you would do the exact opposite. Advance to get low end torque, and retard to get high end, essentially flattening out the torque curve.

Advancing as we know increases the effective compression by closing the valves sooner, but as cylinder velocities increase with RPM, you get better fill by holding it open later. This has always been the rule. Ford has me seriously scratching my head here, and of course it is possible to put negative numbers on the table. So again, does this mean negative is "advance" and positive is retard?

I know lots of instructions are wrong from the factory, as I am a Black hawks mechanic I know this is true. If they can screw it up on aircraft, then Ford could of made a mistake here too. Please tell me I'm not crazy here. If going by logic, the numbers on the table should be referencing advance, which makes perfect sense.

I've searched a good amount to find the answer here but this doesn't get talked about much for the older VCT cars. Could use a straight answer here. Thanks in "advance" lol.

[SultanHassanMasTuning]

yes "positive" numbers are retard, but you also need to consider that there is a limit with bigger cams for the VCT angle. if there is no phaser installed you will need to "limit" the angles.

[ChopperDoc]

I appreciate the response. Yes I?m aware that I need to limit the amount it can adjust. It?s just good to know which direction to go when going into it, obviously lol.