The ignition timing is when the spark plug fires in relation to where the piston is in it's travel. Zero degrees timing means that the spark occurs exactly when the piston reaches it's uppermost point of travel. That's no good when the rpms are going.
DO NOT BUY THAT DISTRIBUTOR!!!!!!!
Please do not waste your money on that piece of schit. Let my mistake be your gain. If you are getting an MSD box, get an MSD 8584. You're looking at about $300, +/-. TRUST ME.
I'm going to tell you right now the best way to set your timing. See, there is no single answer. Any and every mod a vehicle has done to it can affect what the timing should be set to. This is the simplest way to do it.
You will need a timing light, a tach, some liquid paper, and a vacuum gauge.
First, make sure the carburetor is adjusted correctly.
2) Remove and plug the vacuum advance hose, if it has one.
3) Mark the 10 degree mark and the tip of the pointer with liquid paper.
4) Hook up the timing light.
5) Loosen the distributor so you can turn it, then snug the bolt 1/8th of a turn.
6) Attach the vacuum gauge to a source of manifold vacuum.
7) Hook up the tach.
8) Start the engine, and check with the timing light to see where it is.
9) Adjust it to 10 degrees BTDC.
10) Check the tach and note the rpms, and check the vacuum gauge and note the reading.
11) With the hold down bolt loose, SLOWLY rotate the distributor while watching the vacuum gauge. Turn it which ever direction it is that makes the needle on the gauge go up.
12) Keep doing this until it no longer moves up. If you're not sure when it reaches it's peak, use the tach to tell you.
13) rotate the distributor the OPPOSITE direction, so that the needle on the vacuum gauge starts to drop. When it get's to a half inch of mercury lower than it was at it's peak (ie: if it's peak was 18". lower it to 17.5"), tighten the hold down bolt.
14) Check with the timing light to see where it's at now, and write that down.
Now's the fun part. Go for a test drive, and get on it. TRY to make it ping! if it does, then retard the timing one degree and test it again.
Take care,
~Chris
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