Originally Posted by genscripter

That's good to know you checked some of the electrical before doing the timing. I did a lot of timing work (testing different degrees) a few months ago, and the major difference between a few degrees was mostly MPG. So, be sure to keep track of your position relative to a neighboring component, so that you can return your IP to the original position if your MPG goes to hell.

Here's my video I made back then:

Timing a 1988 Ford E250 Econoline Club Wagon 7.3 IDI with Hypermax Turbo - YouTube

You should really use a meter too, cuz it's good to know exactly where you are. No matter how good you are with eyeballing it, just a 1/8" rotation can mean a big IP difference.