ok i've had this problem for years and just getting back into working on my car agian. heres what is going on... when i go to set the timing on my 350 the timing light is reading 30 some degrees advance at idle! i have a new balancer with scale engraved up to 60 degrees, adjustable pointer, msd digital e curve dist., blaster 3 coil, new sparkplugs. i have verified that the piston is a true tdc by removing the sparkplug and putting a small rod through the sp hole, right on top of the piston. i rotated the motor by hand and the scale reads right on zero everytime. i have also used a positive piston stop, rotated clockwise till it contacted, marked the balancer, rotated it counter clockwise till it contacted and marked again, measured between the marks and its right on the 0 degree mark. i have used about 7 different quality timing lights to verify it was not the light. if you rev the engine to bring in all the timing it reads anywhere from 50 - 60 degrees advance! it will run fine when i set it by ear ( whatever feels right) but not sure where it is. now the sparkplug wires have not been changed since this has gone on. my thought is the inductive pickup might not be getting a good reading due to bad wires. maybe the emi in the wires is screwing up the timing flash? i know this is alot to read but has anyone seen or heard of this happening before? i have ordered a set of msd wires but got the over valve cover set which are too short to fit through the looms i ordered too. i'm shipping them back for a universal diy set. anything would be helpfull, like i said its been like this for years and i'm ready to figure it out! thanks yall btw the current wires i have are a cheap set i think proform made em. they are 8mm red and say chevrolet on em with a bowtie. i think they were only 30 or 40 bucks new and i've had em a few years but seem to work fine while running, just can't get a accurate reading. i know 45 degrees is the max advance before the rotor is in the next cylinder terminal. sorry for the long post i'm deff a story teller and a rambler lol