Crank end play, destroyed converter, 408 nightmare

87E10fastgas@up to 185psi (so far),@.034Q,running a minimum coolant temp of 205*F, with full timing of 34*delayed to 3400rpm, and at 930ft elevation.
I keep preaching; just because it idles great with 20* initial, doesn't mean you should run 20* initial. It makes setting up the advance curve really tricky, with those aftermarket mini-wire-gauge springs. You just can't run 1969 timing curves any more.
Nobody drives at 750 rpm. Who cares what the idle timing is. Get the Transfers synced up and whatever timing it takes is what it gets.
Get the timing set right for where you drive, and let the rest be what it will be. You'll never miss 7 or 10 or 12 or whatever horsepower on the street with a 360 and street gears ....... because the tires can't handle hardly half power in first gear anyway, and 3.23s will get you close to 60mph@6000. You don't need 400hp to do that. Nor 350, probably not even 300. I mean 340s regularly burned those Polyglass tires to 60 mph or at least all the way thru first gear. And they did it with the fattest radials you could put in the Darts as well.
My timing is fast up to 28*@2800, then lazy to 34* at 3400, badaboom..... But I have a manual trans with a 10.97 starter gear, so 2800 is only 20 mph in first gear, and the engine is very lightly loaded. And that same starter gear will get me 50@7000, still very lightly loaded,cuz........... the tires are still spinning. If that car ever got traction and actually had to work in first gear,IDK if the results would be the same. I would test that theory out, but it spins those crappy BFGs all the way thru second too. Sorry I can't be of more help,lol.
Everybody just get you some BFGs and problem solved....... or Coopers, they did the same........ or BFG-Drs, they did the same. lol, sorry. I'm having waaaay too much fun,lol..

I'm not bragging on the engine; she's just a plain-Jane 367 with a 230 cam
I'm not bragging on any perceived engine building,or tuning prowess; I'm just a gearhead like most of you guys. But
what I am doing is ragging on the tires and rear suspension, that makes spinning to 80 mph possible. I would change that, but since 1999, it's been just too much fun; it's what I built the car to do; I don't care that it 60fts in the 2.2 to 2.4 range,lol.
Wait; did I just get off topic again?
Oh yeah; timing
Sorry OP for muddying up your thread, say the word and I can now hit delete, thanks to the new button.
Ok so timing; I get that for a racer timing is crucial, cuz he wants to win.
But most of us are streeters and our rigs operate at other than, 5000 to 6500 at WOT; so our engines have vastly different timing requirements. Starting with 20* at 750 rpm is IMO, just so wrong.
My very hi compression engine was far easier to tune with a two-stage curve; it is fast up to around 2800, and then I slowed it down to stay out of detonation, and limited it to less than what I thought might be optimum... then I spent a few hours getting to know this engine, and then I snuck up on the final power-timing.Since it seemed to run the same everywhere between 32 and 36, I just set it to 32 for that summer. Next summer I set it to 34* and that is where it has been since about 2004.
And here's the thing about idle timing; the more you give her, the less you will hear the cam..... and everybody wants to hear the cam..... right? So back it up to 5* and enjoy the lumpiddy lump idle,lol. Ok no don't do that,lol. Just set the Transfer slot sync, and then set the idle speed with timing and idle-air bypass. The Idle timing will generally fall into the range of 10 to 16,so just let it be what it will be. It will make curving the D so much easier.
BTW my 367 now has accumulated over 100,000 miles or so, and except for one half-tank, has never seen other than 87E10. IMO, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this fuel. It is not hard on my fuel system either, nor hard on my 750DP. All it takes to run it is a slight timing delay to 34* @3400rpm. There is a good chance I could bring it in a bit sooner, but the engine makes so much power/torque as is, that I just quit at that number.
With a manual trans, you have to be careful to not bring in too much too early on account of the bigger cam will A) make it very jumpy down low; and we don't have a fluid coupling for those pressure spikes to get lost in; and B) the car will act like it has an on/off switch attached to the gas pedal, wanting to jump ahead with the slightest pedal, and C) a manual trans car with street-type gears, spends a lotta time in the low-rpm zone, and the engine is married to the rearend, so this kind of uncivilized behaviour, IMO, is unacceptable. It is very easy to over-time a manual trans street car.
And finally, here in Manitoba,Canada, I am at 930 ft elevation, and this doesn't change much for hundreds of miles in most directions, and then only a a small percentage.Plus our summer daytime highs,vary in temp only a few degrees, with a day-night difference of no more than 25*F, usually closer to 15 degrees........ So my tune could be pretty mean. However, I choose to be just a lil fat. It seems to quiet the dual 3" cannons out the back bumper................ lol