idle dies

the idle will go down and can be controlled, the idle gets tow low and dies in gear is my problem, will be too high in park or neutral then, but what is weird is if I am in gear give it a throttle up holding brakes should die immediately since wheels not turning, kind of wants too, but acts like letting loose like a bad stator in the converter. just putting out feelers for some insight. I used on light spring and one original spring on the factory electronic 318 distributor. from what I have been reading I my need more initial base timing, closer to 20... sound right? ran ok there, but never tried to idle it there..