How do I know how much is too much or too little. Right now I run 10 initial, 32 mechanical advance and 48 total.

That seems like a lot....is it?

 

You must be measuring in vacuum advance as well?

48 w/vacuum advance at cruise should be okay, long as it doesn't knock on acceleration. I've heard Mopars routinely run 50+*'s at cruise.

Generally SBC's take 36-38 all in by 3000...ofcourse there's several factors as well (gears, weight, engine,etc), but just as a guide line. Tis is WOT, no vac advance...i/e disconnect the vacuum advance and shott a dial back on it as you run the engine up.

But hey, if it don't ping, you're okay.

 

I've programmed some stock TPIs with 48° total advance without any problems. Of course, there is no vacuum advance and the system has to have a working knock sensor.

 

Ya...its like 42 without the vaccum advance. The distributor has been recurved so that all of the advance comes in by 2200 or so.