Dave, the 36 degree figure is a good starting point on a lot of engines. Be aware that the vacuum advance will bump that figure up 7-10 degrees for light throttle fuel economy, but the vacuum goes away almost instantly as soon as even a little load goes on the engine, like passing or pulling hills. Things like cam profile, compression ratio, and combustion chamber shape are big factors in setting the best timing advance, and the operative term is always "don't overdo it!" The centrifugal + initial timing is what we're setting with this procedure, by disconnecting the vacuum during the cruise RPM run.
I really like my delay-flash light, since I can dial in whatever total advance I want and use the 0 mark on the balancer or flywheel as a reference point. I use a Snap-On digital readout light which also has a tach function. Last time I checked, there were several of them available on Ebay Motors for bargain prices.
Jerry
