Mechanical Advance

[Big-Foot]

Hi Nick - It sounds good so far.

Okay - Here's what you do to tell if you have too much spring rather than racing the engine to 6 grand to find out;

* Disconnect and plug vacuum advance (should always do this when checking timing)
* Set your timing at something simple like 10 degrees at a warm idle.
* Remove springs from distributor
* Start and check timing

With the springs removed, the timing should advance immediately to full mechanical advance even at an idle.
Bring RPM up to around 1500 which will keep the weights pinned to their outer limits and check the timing again.
What you should see is the full advance allowed by the distributor. That should be roughly 34-36 degrees total.
If you still only have 10 degrees of mechanical advance, there is something else that is limiting the counter weights from their full cycle of movement.

* Remember that when timing with a vacuum advance, the vacuum line must always be disconnected and plugged.