[61ChevyTruck]

i read a book and it said 2 degrees btdc but i know some people advance it for better performance, what should i set it too to get more power maybe 4-6 degrees???

[DoubleVision]

mostly, we set it to 12 degree`s btdc, with 38 degree`s total advance all in by 3000 RPM, I`d start by advancing it up to at leat 8 to 10 degree`s BTDC just for starters to see what it runs like, if detonation is heard, slow it down 2 degree`s at a time until it`s gone and it`s set. I noticed on your other post your still running points, the best place for points is in the trash. while a HEI is the best way to go, you can also order a pertronix point eliminator kit, it fits inside the distributor your using now, it simply converts it into a electronic unit, it would be cheaper than buying a used HEI and rebuilding it. the points being bad or out of adjustment will cause the backfiring problems.

[poncho62]

Run whatever timing that you can get away with without it pinging. The more you advance it, the more likely it is to ping (detonation)

If you go up a hill in high gear and step on gas, if it pings, back the timing off a little.