To help the timing issue I hooked up an OSAC valve backwards,
bypass this POS...
I was able then to bump the timing back down to 12 degress.
8-12 seems to be a good place for stock slants...
This has helped more than anything. The dead spot is now around 30 mph or about 1/3 throttle, no longer off idle. It stumbles, coughs, sputters, and surges all over the place if you hold the throttle constant, but refuses to die. Simply letting up, or pushing the pedal down just a hair instantly overcomes this dead spot. It is the oddest thing I have ever seen.
sounds like it is running lean... my dart does this when i cut its balls off for smog...