95 302 HO timing

Here's what I have:

85 F-150, orig.300-6, swapped out to a 95 302HO crate.
AFB, Eldebrock manifold, no emissions, only 1 cat. converter. Original C5 3-speed auto. 3.08 gear changed to 3.55. 1 belt surpentine system. New radiator w/ shroud, PS pump, electric fuel pump. Dual Tanks, etc.....

I did this swap about 6 years ago while living in Houston, put on 10K miles, moved to Foley, Alabama where there is no emissions checks. I had adjusted the carb to pass Texas emissions. (and it did for years) Now I'm fixing to rebuild the carb and adjust things to work better on the Alabama formulation of gasoline.

Best I can remember (it's been a few years since I've worked on this thing) is the carb stumbles at 1400 rpm. It dosen't advance in rpm smoothly. This only happens when sitting still.

I do remember that when the vac. advance was hooked up to the manifold, she idles very smooth (20 something deg.) Base timing was set at 8deg.
I have the vac. advance hooked up to the carb's vac port that dosen't have vacuum at idle w/ the base timing at 12deg. as suggested to me years ago. Dosen't idle very smooth and was told it would be very hard to get an HO to smooth out. (vibration)

Would it be OK to go back to the manifold vac. w/ base timing at 8deg.? Seems to have more torque from a standstill this way.

Any timing tips or suggestions? I heard 1 guy say somewhere that he times his truck with a vacuum gauge, adjusts dist till he gets the higest vacuum reading , then backs off 1 lb.? I don't know what a lb.on the vacuum means, or I read it wrong.

It will be a few days before I get started, my Porsche wants to start all the time even with the key out....thats another story...[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Thanks......

[addsig]

Going back to Vacuum and 8*-10* would probably work best if you don't swap out your cam.
[addsig]