iginiton timing questions

Yea this new found knowledge gives me something to tinker around with and see what I can come up with. Funny thing is I always kinda knew there was a better way to setup timing but my way worked so I never gave it to much thought. Most of the engines I have built have been mild 360's, cam, intake, and carb usually. The 1 360 I did build up for street/strip I had that FBO system so I never had to dick with it.

This particular engine I was having issues with is just a mild 318, first 318 I ever messed with and when I set up the init timing it was way off of where I thought it should be (cause of me forgetting to disconnect the vac). I thought it was weird the init was so far off what some of the 360's I have had were set at but I thought maybe that is just how 318's are. Than when I couldn't tune the carb to do much of anything everyone kept asking if I had the timing set right but me being me I just ignored them cause I thought for sure it was a carb issue. So after watching a few Youtube vids on tuning my particular carb I came to the conclusion either my carb is junk or I need to go reseach timing and see what I am missing. So if I hadn't forgotten to unplug the vac it probably wouldn't have forced me to come to learn how to do it right. LOL