A few Chevy small block questions

1, On the timming tag. It reads from left to right A-O-R with the marks. I would think they mean degrees. What does the A mean and R mean the O is TDC I belive. If you set your timming before TDC, is that on the R side? 2, Motor will stall after it has been warmed up. And then after a while it will run okay. I was wondering if it could have anything to do with the fuel pump. Also it has no choke hooked up. But will get engine petty wram before driving. What would you think about a manual choke? It has HEI. Could there be somthing worng there. Thanks, John.

Advance (after tdc)
Retard (before tdc)

No choke will explain not wanting to run until warm. I recently had a similar problem, ended up being rotted fuel line at the tank was sucking air. Glass fuel filter helped diagnose that one.

Thanks, Dcoffield for your answer. So 4 degrees before TDC will be 4 marks too the right of O. Is that right? Also, When you trun the dis. to set timming, To advance timming do you trun dis. clockwise or counter clockwise? Thanks, John.

As you are facing the engine from the front (standing in front of the radiator), retarded or btdc would be to the left of O/tdc. Check out your timing marks to make sure one mark is one degree. I don't recall which direction is which for turning the distributor, but you can easily tell when you timing light is on it.

Some of the other guys in the forum will probably have a lot more timing info for you.

the distributor spins clockwise,to advance,you will move the distributor counterclockwise. the timing indicater marks are in 2 degree incriments. left of 0 is advance. balancer spins clockwise.set timing to 8 degrees before top dead center! firing order is 18436572 clokkwise 1 is located at left front terminal of distributor cap if dist. is installed correctly!
BELAIR MIKE!

A is for advance which is before TDC, not after. R is retard which is after. Your crankshaft will appear to rotate clockwise when viewed from the front of the engine. Adjusting the timing so the mark moves towards the passenger side of the engine will advance the timing. You will turn the distributor counter-clockwise to advance the timing. If your timing is close to where it should be, the engine rpms will increase as you advance the timing and decrease as you retard.