it's amazing what some timing can do ... ignition timing that is.

[garage C20]

i was up late one night checking out some videos on dyno runs on YOUTUBE and came up on one guy who was showing how his shop sets the ignition timing and setting the the idle on a edelbrock carb on a Chevy (link posted below). i thought i had mine set just fine but i was wrong. i normally just set the initial timing at idle with the vacuum disconnected. i set it at 12 deg and lock it down. i never thought to check the timing at 3000-3500 rpm. well... i did that this morning and was it WAY off. i was only getting around 20- 22 deg of total timing.. to say that this motor was a dog is an understatement. i thought the motor was tired and was in need of a rebuild. so, i advanced the total timing to 33 deg advanced (vacuum disconnected). now i can run down the freeway with more than enough power and very little throttle. i can spin my 33's at the stoplight and even bark them in second. (kind of hard with my hard to shift man tranny). i connected the vacuum to the ported vacuum side of the carb and this truck has never run better. i hope this little tip can help someone else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEeKYZS-Stg