Hello,
I have a question. when people say "Total timing advance or retarded" is this the total from advancing/ retarding the cam and the ignition? or just the ignition with vacuum?

Total ignition timing is initial + centrifugal. Vacuum advance, if used, is in addition.

Cam timing can also be advanced or retarded, but it's a totally different deal.

Another way to say it is this:

Disconnect the vacume advance and plug the line.
Rev the motor to at least 3000 rpm.
Read the timing.
This is total timing.
let the engine idle at below 1000 rpm.
Read the timing.
This is the initial timing.

re-connect the vacume adv.

Dave

Thanks guys for the info

Another way to say it is this:

Disconnect the vacume advance and plug the line.
Rev the motor to at least 3000 rpm.
Read the timing.
This is total timing.
let the engine idle at below 1000 rpm.
Read the timing.
This is the initial timing.

re-connect the vacume adv.

Dave

Depends on which distributor he has and if it's been recurved from original. Most factory curves don't reach total until 4k-5k rpm so checking it at 3,000 rpm would give a bogus figure. Depending upon the particular springs used, centrifugal may start coming in well below 1,000 rpm. The only way to know for sure is to idle it down as far as possible and slowly raise rpm to check to see where advance starts. To check where total is all in keep reving it until it's no longer advancing.