I'm putting in a new HEI distributor and it's been a while since I've had to time my car. When I set the initial timing I should disconnect the vacuum advance line, plug it and then set the base timing to around 8 or 9 degrees. For the advance I should reconnect the vacuum, bring the rpm's up to 2500 and see what I have for total timing, should be around 36 degrees, correct? Am I correct? It's been a while!!

Big block or small block. Big blocks, so they tell me, like to start at 16-18, vacuum advance disconnected and plugged, that's where mine is. Total advance 36-38, vacuum still disconnected. You're checking total advance based on strictly on rpm. Vacuum advance comes in on top of mechanical based on load. Small blocks like a little less initial I believe but 10-12 is probably a good start.

Sorry, it is a big block (396).

Sorry, it is a big block (396).
Well start at 16-18, change advance springs to bring total in by 3000. That's what the experts here told me to shoot for and it seems to work pretty good. You can buy a rebuild kit with different spring sets for under $10 if your total advance does not come in soon enough

Thank you! I also read Wes's tech articles, I had forgotten about those, they helped a lot, too!:D

Thank you! I also read Wes's tech articles, I had forgotten about those, they helped a lot, too!:D
Ha! Just noticed that the other post was your's as well, good luck.

For the advance I should reconnect the vacuum, bring the rpm's up to 2500 and see what I have for total timing, should be around 36 degrees, correct? Am I correct? It's been a while!!

Total advance is the sum of initial + centrifugal and does not include vacuum advance so that should be disconnected while setting total. The rpm that you set total at depends upon the particular distributor. Many stock distributors don't reach total until 4k-5k rpm and (out of the box)many "performance" distributors don't reach total until about 3500. With the light hooked up and the vacuum advance disconnected, rev it until you're sure that the timing marks have stopped advancing. If you find that you aren't getting total in by about 3K, recurving the distributor might be a good idea. Different combinations like different curves but, typically, lighter cars with bigger engines and/or lower gears can handle a quicker curve better than a heavy car, smaller engine, taller gear, combo.