Truck was running OK previously prior to revamping the ignition system (not great by any means but not bad). Usually had to choke slightly to keep er' running. No big deal. Wanted easier starting and to get rid of backfiring when downshifting so I switched it over to HEI as recommended by several. Tuned by ear previously. Now I'm having trouble getting my truck tuned right. Probably due to my ignorance but we tried to get the thing to run right for 3 hours to no avail. Distributor is on good I believe. Put engine to TDC out of cylinder 1 and lined up rotor. Made spark plug wires w/ ACDELCO custom cut to length deals. The real problem is trying to get the timing set right. I have a timing light (which I don't really know how to use that well). And I've read to put in around 6 btdc since its a stock engine. Usually seems to run best around 10? Now when I go to adjust the carb it gets harry (new to carb adjustment..). I lower the air fuel screw for idling purposes and set the bottom two to 1 and 1/2 turns initially. Then I adjust the dash pot for idle. Don't really know what I'm doing with carbs/timing and could use advice on all of this. If anyone could point me in the right direction it'd be much appreciated! Would really like to get my truck tuned right/know how to tune it right.

 

On a stock 360, you can run 10 degrees and it won't hurt anything. You could probably go even higher than that, but you shouldn't have to.

What idle speed are you getting? If you don't know, get a tach/dwell meter and find out.

It's been a long time since I adjusted a carb, and I quickly got rid of the stock 2bbl on my highboy. I'll let someone else chime in with more details on adjusting the carb.

 

first you want to make sure your balancer did not shift. drop a flexible rod that will not brake in #1, then bring it up to tdc dwell and you should be at about 0*. now take a piece of paper and make reference for every 5* off the balancer, shift it so you can make a mark with a permanent marker or whiteout at 35*. you can now set your timing to what your total timing will be at ~3000 rpm, it may be full in at ~2500 rpm. about 36-38* full with a base of 8* is what I got off my last duraspark distributor. set the carb with a vacuum gauge to where it pecks without bouncing, try to keep the rpms around 700. now on to setting the vacuum advance and is tested by driving around, you want to get on it a few times. set it so you dont get pinging at wot nor do you get surging at high idle under load.