Here's my combo:

BB 408 10.5/1 compression
Oval port heads (4 angle valve job, yada yada yada)
Performer RPM and Holley 750 Vac Secondaries
Hooker Headers with 3 in flowmaster exhaust
Mallory Dual Point Distributor setup with MSD 6A

This is what I don't understand, I set the total timing at about 36, when the give the car throttle it jumps up to about 52...??? Is the mechanical advance on my distributor to much? The motor isn't pinging but that sounds like too much timing to me. I'm a newbie with this stuff if you couldn't tell.

Do you have a vacuum advance? If so that is where the advance is comming from.

negative. Mechanical advance in the distributor.

When you set the total timing, at what RPM are you at?
Also, do you know at what RPM your Mech Advance kicks in?

SS4speed.

at idle, which is about 1000 RPM's, the timing is at about 36. Then as soon as you rev it up, the timing mark starts rising. By the time you get to 3500 or 4000 it's at 50-52. Does this sound right? Again I can't hear any pinging...but how is this possible?

Initial timing advance means timing set at idle 800 rpms = 18 degrees). Total timing means timing at full mechanical advance(about 3000-3500 rpms = 36 degrees).

Sounds like you have your initial set at 36 degrees and total is 52 degrees. You need to back it down! set your initial to 18 degrees and when you rev it up it should be about 34-36.

No.This is not strange at all.
You have set the timing at the wrong RPM.

With the vacuum advance disconnected (if you have one),
Slowly rev the engine to a point where the advance stops.

At this point adjust your timing to 34-36 degrees total.

Don't worry where your initial ends up at.Check it though.Report back and tell us what it is.

Never set your timing at an idle.

If I'm one tooth off on the distributor would the timing be reading wrong?

Originally posted by Purs:
If I'm one tooth off on the distributor would the timing be reading wrong? No, the distributer can be anywhere as long as the wiring is correct. It is traditional to put #1 at the front. With a vacuum advance, the VA canister pretty much requires that the distributer be in a certain position for clearance reasons. If the cap was wired wrong, you'd know right away.

I have to time my bracket car in gear to pull the idle down low enough to get out of any advance in the distributer. I have 20º mechanical and set initial at 18º for 38º total (in at 2800 rpm). As suggested, set the total first then check the initial. If then the initial seems too high or too low, have the distributer re-curved to get it where you want it. My local shop charges $20 to re-curve a distributer, well worth it and highly recommended over the do it yourself kits. On a dist machine, the rate, the rpm it is in by, and the amount of advance can easily be set.