340 Static Compression Numbers and Test Procedure

OK, well if it was for the old timing marks, it would be showing up about 90 + or - degrees CCW vs the newer marks, or about 10-10:30 o'clock.

When you pull off the present damper, set the engine at #1 TDC and note where the keyway is... it ought to be at about 1 o'clock. I'm not expecting anything to be wrong there but it is just another thing to take note of to make sure all is right.

Now, one thing we don't know is if your engine was re-balanced for all internal balance. And do you know for sure it has the original cast crank? Or was it rebuilt with an earlier steel crank? The pistons are different so who knows? (If we had a weight for those L2322's I could make a good stab at the bobweight, and then we could make a better guess on the balance situation.) My point is that, unless you have other info, there is not any real way to know if you need a balanced or unbalanced damper. So more mysteries to solve if you really want to know. The pan would have to come off to even start finding this stuff out.

So if you are having vibration issues, at the least buy a new damper with the weights that can be screwed on the back, to be either neutral balanced or unbalanced. I would not be buying a very expensive damper at this point not knowing what's inside. (You can always change to a fluid type later and sell this one off.)

Then proceed to do the timing work as you have planned. It will help to know what you really have for timing, both in ignition and cam timing, and find out of the cam is installed right. But ultimately, you have quite high dynamic compression due the combination of the cam and those domed pistons and even cam/ignition timing changes may not get you out of the woods for running pump fuel. It may take a cam change or piston change to get this to be workable.
Wonder if there is a visible cast line at the snout I could look for to determine if its cast or solid steel??