If you know somebody who has a distributor machine - that sure helps as you can see exactly how much advance you have at various RPMs. As noted by Ronnie and others, your total advance (depending on compression, gas quality, gearing, etc) - will usually be around 22 - 26 degrees (total). I usually run most of mine at about 24 or so.
Carbs: Strombergs do not have any real adjustment for load, other than when the throttle plates are almost fully open and the mechanical power-valve is open at the bottom of the accel pump well. Given this, it is quite hard to achieve optimal AFRs at both cruise and under heavy throttle or load. So, what you'll usually find is that you'll need to jet them such that it doesn't detonate under heavy load . . . the net result is that you'll usually find it will have a richer AFR than you'd like under cruise or partial load. That is just the way it goes.
On AFRs - you have to put the O2 sensor about 2 feet back or more from the exhaust ports. This isn't possible with most of the typical 'Sandy Belond Style' headers (most of which use a "slip fit" exhaust extension). If you put them in the header, they are too close to the block. If you're installing EGT bungs, then put those as close to the block as possible - in the exhaust for the rear cylinders (always run the hottest).
If you put the O2 sensors past a leaky exhaust joint (like a slip-fit), then your AFR readings will NOT be correct - you must have a leak-free system upstream of the O2 bungs. You don't want to tune the engine with an O2 in the wrong place or with leaky exhaust - you'll have incorrect readings.
I always weld in 2 bolt header flanges and use gaskets in my exhaust systems - so that there are no leaks and also so I can easily take the dang thing apart. This is VERY important if you're tuning with any AFR meter.
My O2 bungs are about 1 foot back in the exhaust pipes that bolt to the header flanges. Make sure you weld your O2 bungs into the exhaust pipe at the right angle (never facing down - usually at about 10 or 2 o'clock).
Jets and Power Valves: I'd start with "out of the box" jets and power-valves, then go from there. Also, on the power valves the numbers are BACKWARDS from what we're used too with normal jets -- the bigger the number, the smaller the power-valve (leaner under full throttle).
Good luck!
B&S
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