okay so i've got some things confused i think. so right now ive got no vacuum advance and locked at 36 so it should be 36 all the time. you would recommend get it so its idling at 40 degrees with vacuum advanced hooked up. but i always thought as your engine revs up it pulls more vacuum so wouldn't that only advance your timing more with the vacuum advance? how can i achieve less timing at higher rpm from idle with vacuum advance?
No. When the engine revs, the vacuum drops off, so the vacuum advance would drop out on acceleration. If your vacuum advance is adjustable, turn the adjustment screw all the way clockwise to start with and go from there.