[cdrookie]

Timing is hp. Having it full in at 3k rpm's can possibly have you loosing hp below that. Right now my distributor is locked at 36*, so as soon as it starts it's full advance. My starter doesn't like that at all, I ordered a Progression Ignition HEI, to help with that. Every combo is different, so you have to experiment and see what your's likes. I'm no expert, and these days I forget stuff a lot faster than I learn, but I've had a couple distributors set up by a couple different Pontiac guys and both were 18* initial, 36 total, all in by 1800 rpm.