Harmonic balancer and timing question

[mobileaudio25]

I was checking my timing today and at 3000 rpm it was reading 58 degrees advance. I know small blocks like 34-36 for the most part correct? I think something must be labeled wrong or the timing tab incorrect on the balancer. The car runs well and has zero missing at idle and under throttle. Do you think the balancer is marked incorrectly? If I took 22 degrees out of my timing do you think it wouldn't run correctly?

I have a mild build 355 sbc , mild cam, dart shp heads, Holley 670 street avenger and a custom built 3000 stall converter. I have a 6.75 in harmonic balancer should I switch it to an 8in? Thanks for the help

 

[565bbchevy]

Who is the balancer made by?

 

[565bbchevy]

Also why the custom 3000 converter? It seems a bit excessive to me for your mild set up.

 

[Texas82GP]

Did you unhook the vacuum advance?

 

[mobileaudio25]

Did you unhook the vacuum advance?

I wasn't actually doing the timing I was in the car keeping it at 3k. I bet you my mechanic forgot to undo the vacuum advance he works on a lot of strictly race cars without vacuum advance so I bet it just slipped his mind. Great thought!

Regardless I have a 6.75 in balancer do you think I would benefit from a 8in?

 

[pontiacgp]

an HEI distributor mechanically advances the timing 22 to 24 degrees so that would mean your base timing is 26 to 28 degrees. I doubt the car would start with that set up.

 

[mobileaudio25]

Also why the custom 3000 converter? It seems a bit excessive to me for your mild set up.

I believe it is a stock balancer. It was already on the motor I just put a top end. I have a mother thumper cam so I had to run a larger stall to make it idle correctly. It was a custom built stall converter by ptc .

I think it's a 2800 converter . I gave the company all of my specs and they built it for the motor

 

[mobileaudio25]

an HEI distributor mechanically advances the timing 22 to 24 degrees so that would mean your base timing is 26 to 28 degrees. I doubt the car would start with that set up.

Yeah the mechanic said the idle advance was 22 degrees. It starts up fairly easy, no big troubles when it's warm

 

[pontiacgp]

Yeah the mechanic said the idle advance was 22 degrees. It starts up fairly easy, no big troubles when it's warm

what does he mean by "idle advance"?

 

[565bbchevy]

If the balancer is a stock unit it is possible the outer ring spun on the hub which will throw off your timing reading if this is the case I would buy a nice aftermarket one that has the timing marks already on them and if you plan on going to the track get one that is SFI approved, there are plenty of affordable ones out there.