Ok I feel stupid having to post this but I installed a new msd streetfire and need some help with the advance curve. I installed the advance kit with new weights and used the lightest spring(copper 1's). The total mechanical advance is 24* at 3,000 rpms. But the mechanical starts coming in at 500 rpms, so I think I mistakenly left almost all of my initial timing on the table when I went to the track.

So, per the msd curve table, at 1,000 rpms there is 12* mechanical timing (http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=MSD%2D8428&autoview=sku), that I thought was initial, when I put the light/gun on the the motor. To truely have 12* initial at 1,000 rpms, I would need to have 24* total timing at 1,000 rpms??? Is this correct??? If I had the car idling at 1,000 rpms and put the dial back light on there, I would turn the dial to 24 and when the timing marks matched up I would be at 12* initial and 12* mechanical, yes? Give or take a degree or so.

Doing all of this with the vacuum advance line disconnected and plugged of course.

Sorry if this post is confusing but I just do not understand timing very well, especially at 12:30 in the morning....

ok.. set your total timing at- say- 36 degrees at 3500 rpm (as read at the balancer). if you were running with 24 degrees total, you left a LOT of power on the table.
whatever the timing is at idle is your initial timing. if it is already advancing at idle, then you need a stiffer spring.

I would use a curve that would start to advance at about 1k rpm and all in at 3k rpm. This way, you won't have a huge drop in RPM when you shift from park to drive.

My curve starts at 1k rpm, idles at 800 in park and 5-600 in drive, so it's not affected by the curve.

Set the total and let the initial fall to whatever. (36° total minus your 24° mechanical will be 12° initial in your case)

Thanks, I definately did not have the timing set right. So my delima is, if I go to a stiffer spring, all of the advance does not come in until 4500rpms, and I shift right aroung 4900-5000rpms. I always have been under the impression that all of the advance should be in by 3000rpms. I guess I will just have to experiment with it and see if I can get away with the mechanical advance starting to come in at 500rpms.

you don't have to keep the springs in matched pairs. you can have one light one and one stiff one to get it to work the way you want.
also, don't feel like you have to use only the MSD supplied springs- if it works best with a spring out of a stock distributor, use that. no one but you will know that you don't have a new part under the rotor.

you don't have to keep the springs in matched pairs. you can have one light one and one stiff one to get it to work the way you want.
also, don't feel like you have to use only the MSD supplied springs- if it works best with a spring out of a stock distributor, use that. no one but you will know that you don't have a new part under the rotor.

Hey thanks, I am going back to TNT tommor here is Vegas, and I will just try some different set ups. I guess when it comes to timing every motor and set up is different, something I need to get used to. I like things to be black or white, and I am finding that this stuff can have a lot of grey in there also.

you can't count on the figures on the instructions to be accurate either. You don't want the advance coming in at idle, use springs that will let it start at 1000RPM. As was pointed out, you can mix and match springs to get what you want, but use the timing light to verify, don't rely on the instructions. Aftermarket distributors are well known to be off on the both the amount and rate of advance out of the box. See it with your own eyes.

Hold at 3,000 rpm's and set it at 36 0r 38 or what ever you are wanting.

you can't count on the figures on the instructions to be accurate either. You don't want the advance coming in at idle, use springs that will let it start at 1000RPM. As was pointed out, you can mix and match springs to get what you want, but use the timing light to verify, don't rely on the instructions. Aftermarket distributors are well known to be off on the both the amount and rate of advance out of the box. See it with your own eyes.

Thanks for the advice Tom, I hopefully will have an update tommor sometime.....

Made it back to the track and had the timing right this time. Made a huge difference, thanks everyone.....