TxGoat wrote:
The distributor needs to be in good condition with vacuum and centrifugal advance mechanisms working as they should. The ignition point setting should be adjusted to specification before setting the initial timing. The idle speed should be set to specification. The factory initial timing spec is best. An exception might be if the car has a worn timing chain. In that case setting the initial timing a couple of degrees advanced over the factory spec might be helpful. In some cases where the timing mark is on the harmonic balancer, the outer part of the balancer where the timing marks are may have slipped from its original position on the balancer hub. In that case, new timing marks would be needed to show the correct TDC, and the harmonic balancer would likely need replacement or rebuilding.