The key to finding the best ignition advance for any motor is to first verify the mark on the balancer and the timing tab to insure TDC or zero is at TDC, then verify the advance marks on the tab and or on the balancer with a degree wheel referenced to TDC on the pistons.
The next important thing is to make sure your timing light is accurate also and then at the race track or on a engine dyno find the best total ignition timing for that day with that fuel and weather conditions.
Once your in the ball park on the best known correct, accurate, ignition timing to run the best ET and MPH or make the most HP on the dyno that day is to make several runs or pulls with less than the best known total timing for that motor and then sneak up by adding 1 to 2 degrees advance at a time until it starts to slow down on the 1/4 MPH or make less power on the dyno. If it runs the same at 34,35 and 36 degrees BTDC then you know what your motor likes.
To answer your question about the motor liking more advance they will talk to you if you listen and test, they are like women, they like what they like that day, more ain't better, same on less also
I have raced Mopar V8 since the early 1960s, all the 318,340 and 360 NHRA stocker motors I've built, dyno tested and raced at the track like 30 to 32 degrees total timing for the best E T and MPH.
A friend of mine race several different 340 and 360 cars in NHRA stock for many years that he set class records that he said they like 38 to 42 degrees total timing, he thought and believe they like that until he retarded one back to 34 trying to slow his car down in qualifying so he wouldn't get HP added onto his class. The car went faster and he broke out first round
He called me on his way home about it speeding up with less timing and later ended up finding out at a different track that his car like form 30 to 33 degrees BTDC maximum total at WOT and above 4500 RPM, not from 38 to 42 like he believed before because another racer told him that on a race car he had bought from that guy
Your trying to get the maximum push on the top of the piston as it starts down on the power stroke, any thing less makes less power and any more advance will lead to pinging or detonation slowing the car down and making less power also.