timing cover type and timing marks

Hello,
I have a 65 valiant with a 273. I rebuilt and upgraded many of the pieces on this engine when I restored the car 15 years ago. I replaced my old style timing cover for a post 70's version with the scale on the driver's side. I also replace the harmonic balancer and timing gears at that time. Also new Isky cam 302 heads, eddie manifold and carb.
Recently I had to pull the engine, honed the cylinders and installed new rings. I found 2 stuck oil rings probably due to driving the car only 1200 miles in all those years. during the rebuild the timing cover was never removed.
The problem in now that everything is back together I can't get it timed properly.
I set #1 at TCD compression stroke, both valves closed. Slot in Dist. gear points at front intake bolt, 11 oclock. Connect #1 wire to plug, turn on ignition and pinpoint where plug fires. Check if wires are in correct order. Mark balancer with tape at zero, 10,20, and 30 degrees advance. Car starts but has to idle high and runs rough with an occasional muffled backfire out the pipe.
I advance a bit and get in to drive. go around the block and keep advancing until it's driving the best. Still a little rough at idle but it does have a cam.
Come back to the garage, check the timing with a light and it's running like 30-40 deg. advance at idle with VA disconnected.
Still idles crappy and the I feel the #1 header and it's only warm, not hot like the others.
It's been 15 years since I made these changes and I've forgotten what I did to make it run right all those years ago. I can't remember if I got a balance for a 65 or a 70. I'm thinking if I have the wrong balance then all the marks will be wrong. I know original the timing on this car was marked on the passenger side and my marks seem to be going so far advance they end up on the other side of the engine.
Any ideas appreciated. especially about the markings on the two different balancers. I also got to thinking of the marks were on the other side of the engine wouldn't advance and retard be reversed? But then my head started to hurt and I decided to ask for help.

Physically find and verify TDC and remark your balancer on the drivers side.

Do you have a valve stuck?

No, advance and retard directions won't be reversed by going from one side to the other. If the timing mark on the damper moves CCW with the timing light, then the ignition timing is advancing.

Any chance you are using a dial-back timing light and have things set incorrectly?

What manifold vacuum level do you have at idle?

TrailBeast said:

Physically find and verify TDC and remark your balancer on the drivers side.

Click to expand...

The balancer marks are on the right side. I marked 0, 10, 20 and 30 degree marks.
I've sketched this out since I posted and I don't think which side the marks are on makes a difference, the only difference would be if the marks don't align with TDC, which they do. It's killing me because it ran great before the tear down, just used a lot of oil.

nm9stheham said:

No, advance and retard directions won't be reversed by going from one side to the other. If the timing mark on the damper moves CCW with the timing light, then the ignition timing is advancing.

Any chance you are using a dial-back timing light and have things set incorrectly?

What manifold vacuum level do you have at idle?

Click to expand...

No 0n the dial back. I figured out, as you said, no matter which side the marks are on as long as you have TDC on #1 is what matters.

nm9stheham said:

No, advance and retard directions won't be reversed by going from one side to the other. If the timing mark on the damper moves CCW with the timing light, then the ignition timing is advancing.

Any chance you are using a dial-back timing light and have things set incorrectly?

What manifold vacuum level do you have at idle?

Click to expand...

gonna check the vacuum leve tomorrow will let u know.

amusingarts said:

The balancer marks are on the right side. I marked 0, 10, 20 and 30 degree marks.
I've sketched this out since I posted and I don't think which side the marks are on makes a difference, the only difference would be if the marks don't align with TDC, which they do. It's killing me because it ran great before the tear down, just used a lot of oil.

Click to expand...

If you are using a fixed pointer on the timing cover and marks on the damper, then these marks should increase clockwise on the damper for increasing ignition advance.