timing/ other sparky questions
for now id stick with the factory dizzy springs just to see how it does. also kill the vacuum advance, it literally retards timing at idle (high manifold vacuum).
I don't know where you get the idea that vacuum at idle retards timing. NOT correct.
Frankly with such a big cam, I'd "start off right" Either get your dist. recurved, or buy and aftermarket dist. with an adjustable mechanism. Most performance Accel/ Mallory etc are of that type.
I would say you want 15-20* initial, and play with total mechanical as compression and fuel, engine and local temperature dictates, somewhere between 34-38 total.
Bear in mind that factory manuals and many specs on distributors are in DISTRIBUTOR degrees which are HALF of "crank degrees."
So if your stock dist weights are stamped "15" that is THIRTY at the crank, way way too much.
One thing you can do as a "backyard trick" until you get a different dist is to pull both springs out, and "total time" the engine for around 34*. It might not run great at low RPM as it may be "over" advanced until about 2000 but that's better than the alternative --- a long slow "over" advance from the stock springs.
IF you need to break in the cam, IE need to fire and immediately run the engine at 1800 or whatever the cam guys says, set your timing by:
Bring up no1 on compression, but do NOT set the marks at TDC, but rather at 32* BTC or so Drop in the dist, and adjust the housing so that the reluctor wheel is centered in the pickup coil core. This will be close enough to fire and get the engine "up there" for the break in. Once you get it stable, check for oil press, leaks, problems, you can use a light on it to bump it up a little if you need to.
