[prostreet64]

Have you taken a look at the weights and springs? I don't see how the motor will run at all with an initial timing of 5 deg. ATDC. If the timing is truly 36 deg. BTDC at 3000rpm then you would have 41 deg. of mech. advance. I don't know of any dist. that has that amount of mech. adv. built in. You are right that somewhere around 12 deg. initial plus 20-24 mech. is what most combos shoot for. I am assuming that you have had a timing light on this thing to check the #'s. In theory you need to rotate the dist. to give approx. 12 BTDC at idle and then set up the advance weights to bring in another 20-24 deg. by 3000rpm or earlier.

[71 Ventura II]

Agreed, something is off in the mechanical advance mechanism. Even if you had your timing set @5 BTDC it would still show 31 degrees mechanical advance. Time to pull the cap/rotor and find out whats up. A "Generic" tune would be initial between 10-12 BTDC, mechanical 20-22 degrees, and if your using a vacuum can another 8-11 degrees.

Go to this link, it will give you a detailed tutorial in setting up the HEI including pictures.
http://www.pontiacstreetperformance....distcurve.html

Check it out and report back! JD