Help setting timing and vac advance

Start by testing what your engine wants for total timing. Don’t assume 34 or 36 or 38 degrees is best, actually go test. Once you have that number adjust the mechanical to get the idle timing where you want it. Then work on the curve, again testing is the key here, not assuming that a specific curve is best (all in at 2400 is pretty quick). The whole time plotting the curve on paper so changes are easy to see and quantify. After all of that hook up the VA. Adjusting the VA is about bringing in cruise timing for mileage but having it drop out quick enough on throttle application so the engine doesn’t rattle.