So I have a 351 and set the new timing chain at straight up 0 degrees.
My question is will my timing marks on the balancer still be right?
It doesn't run well when I set my timing to 10 btdc so should I be looking to set it with the 4 degrees in mind?

 

Been there done that! To answer your question though, the mark on the crankshaft damper will not change.

About 20 years ago I read somewhere about the retarded camshafts in the 351M/400 yada, yada, yada... I went and got a roller timing set and went to the trouble of putting it in and it ran like crap. I then changed it a little one way, and then a little the other way and I NEVER got it to run worth squat. I finally got an RV cam and lifters and got it running decent. About ten years after that I built a 400 for it.

Now, all that said, I was working specifically on a 78 model. It may very well be that engines a little earlier would respond to a timing set, but mine didn't.

I wish you the best of luck with this project, and please keep us posted. Hopefully someone else who has had success in this, will chime in and give you the winning combination. I know that I didn't find it.

 

Should I assume you are talking about a 351M truck engine?
I think there has been debate and speculation on when the years of the retarded cam timing came and went... 1973 seems to be the start.
I believe one of the side effects of later valve events is improved torque..
Your balancer marks represent the crank's relative position and never changes unless the outer 'ring' slips out of place, which means buying a new balancer or learning to live with its inaccuracies. Remember, 8 degrees timing on the balancer represents 4 degrees on the cam, (not to be confused with ignition timing) as it turns half as many times as the crank.
Try playing with your ignition timing by ear. Advance it but not so much that you get ping when you accelerate. Then if that doesn't help, retard the timing some. Let us know what happens.

 

I have it set at 10 now and it does ok with the vacuum hooked up. It seemed to run better at 14 btdc. I am trying to set my base, advanced, and total timing.

It is a 78 and I do have an rv type cam and lifter set from edelbrock.

Also I am running a HEI type dist.

 

Check your cam spec sheet for recommended total timing. Have you had the distributor recurved? You want all your timing in at probably 3400 rpm, I would guess at 32 degrees total, but that is just my guess...

 

Okay, now we're getting enough information to get somewhere. Since you have an aftermarket cam, set the timing set straight up. I would not assume that the balancer is not correct, but you can check it by finding true top dead center. If you need to do that let us know and I will go through the procedure for you.

I would not bother checking for true top dead center until you do some experimenting and testing of your existing set up. Start by checking to see that the centrifugal and vac advances are working correctly. Do that by setting up the timing light and revving it up while observing the mark. If the mark does not advance as the engine is sped up, then the centrifugal is not working. If the mark does not move when connecting and disconnecting true manifold vacuum at the advance diaphragm, then there is something not right with the vac advance.

After you have confirmed that both advance mechanisms are working, try a little experimenting with initial advance and if necessary, change centrifugal advance springs and adjust the vac advance with a small screw driver in the vac connection port.

If you start changing the centrifugal and vac curves, you will need to do some testing and make some specific notes to know what it is when you start, so you know where you are going and where you have been. Don't just start changing ***** nilly.

Do a search in this forum. A year or two ago there were several posts with advance curve specs. Try searching against "advance curve"