[nytrainer]

Originally Posted by Darth Menace

hmmm I just went and tried. The way I set the all out timing was set my light to 36, rev and then adjust until it's at 0. I just went and tried to check the timing for the idle timing and i don't know how to check it hahah. It is not anywhere near the numbers. It will read at the 0 on the numbers when I have the timing light set to 30. Not sure if I am doing that right there.

On another note...this snorkle thing for the air breather...where should it be pointed? Directly at the fan or to one side? I moved this and it made a huge difference on the idle

Ummm, alright lets see. I am stating the obvious here but you do have the light connected to #1 cylinder?
When you saw the "all in" timing was 36 (still unsure what the spec should be for your engine) you had the engine at a sustained 2500-3000 rpm with vacuum advance hose disconnected and plugged? To check timing at idle simply (with vacuum advance disconnected and hose plugged) point the timing light and adjust the timimg light until the mark on the balancer is at zero. Then look at the reading on the timing light.
Usually when you are setting the initial timing you move the distributor. You then check what the total is afterwards (as described prior). Not really a great idea to be fiddling with the distributor while the engine is running at 2500-3000 rpm. When you adjust initial timing higher or lower the total timing will follow it (either up or down the same amount). You can't adjust one without affecting the other so do all your adjustments at idle. To try and clarify that lets say you have 12 initial and 34 total as observed (random example). If you decrease the initial to 9 (3 less) your total will now be 3 less (now 31) or increase initial 2 degrees then total will increase 2 also.
My replies are wordy I know but I am trying to make sure you get it.