base timing keeps advancing by itself...

You are gpoing to need more than "needles" if it is that lean.
Suggest you buy the Edelbrock carb tuning kit for your carb.
You're going to need it

Yeah I have been eyeballing the 650 avs2 for a long time, comes quite a bit richer out of the box. If my needle change (2 stages richer in power mode) is a step in the right direction I might just go ahead and pull the trigger on the new carb and start tuning that.

Change the step up spring for a lighter one!!

Man...4 pages later and he finally checked his tdc.

party time!

Reading the Edelbrock manual.. it says to go to a stronger step-up spring to cure a lean spot. Am I misreading it? Currently has the yellow (4") spring which is one step weaker than factory, put in after the new cam which produces a bit less vac at idle than stock. Also suggests this spring is just for transitions, my detonation rattle is only at 3/4 to WOT throttle and is is sustained if I hold the pedal down.

And I told you I was going to check TDC, just had to wait till the weekend when I was off work.