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looking at the engine from the front of the car, the timing tab is on the left hand side. I've never seen a right side timing tab cover before.

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x2 Do they make one?

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The motor is relatively new but was actually built a couple of years ago and has low mileage. It's a week end bruiser at most.

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Maybe that's why it's lazy outta the hole

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Well, I checked my suspect ATI damper today for slippage and did the recommended piston stop test by marking the damper at both clockwise and counterclockwise points where the piston stopped against the tool. It was dead on the (0)TDC So I still of yet have to find out how my motor is even running at 50 degrees. It doesn't overheat and starts on the dime hot or cold better than a new car. My friend has suspected that my old Distributor with its light weight springs is advanced early in the cycle, combined with aluminum heads and sufficient bleed over from the split pattern cam allows it to idle and run. Once my new Distributor arrives, I will test and tune accordingly and let every one know what gives.

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50 degrees is a lot

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Never seen a bad ATI Damper. I'd put heavier springs on the dizzy and if its a MSD put the rings in thier that stop the advance. A normal mechanical advance is about 25 degrees. With 10 degree advance on the dizzy at start and add 25 degrees for a 35 degree total. When the advance comes in is a tuning decision, mine is all in about 1400 rpm. I'm betting thats the problem. If you have 30 degrees of mecahnical advance that would mean 20 degrees at cranking. My hot rod would buck and kick back with that much initial advance. So you may have a lot more mechanical advance. An engine will run with 50 degrees of advance but not well.

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Never seen a bad ATI Damper. I'd put heavier springs on the dizzy and if its a MSD put the rings in thier that stop the advance. A normal mechanical advance is about 25 degrees. With 10 degree advance on the dizzy at start and add 25 degrees for a 35 degree total. When the advance comes in is a tuning decision, mine is all in about 1400 rpm. I'm betting thats the problem. If you have 30 degrees of mecahnical advance that would mean 20 degrees at cranking. My hot rod would buck and kick back with that much initial advance. So you may have a lot more mechanical advance. An engine will run with 50 degrees of advance but not well.

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A brand new distributer will probably fix it.

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yeah, I know, but the current distributor was modified over 20 years ago and the slots were welded and all, Even its builder has forgotten what he exactly done to it,so I'm starting with a new one since its a borrower and then I can adjust all I need to get the sweet spot.

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I assume it runs best at 50 total... if this is correct
you can put in all the dist you want and it wont
change... I would look at the valve timing... since
you know the damper is 0 you can use that as the
degree wheel and put a indicator on the retainer
for a quick check

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Do you guys think I might have bent a valve with the piston stop turned in all the way while spinning the engine by hand with no spark plugs installed?
I'm not sure how much travel is in the exhaust/intake valves when engine is being turned over.

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