which screws/bolts need to be loosened on the distributor to be able to adjust? Never adjusted the timing before and getting general issues that point to it.

i've read other posts that refer to a bolt, but all i can find are the three phillips screws just under where the cap meets the base.

What you are looking for is the bolt that holds down a fork shaped clamp that holds the distributor in the engine. Loosen this bolt, then rotate the distributor a bit to change the timing.

Do you have a timing light?
If not, you can try turning the distributor a few degrees at a time, lock it down, then take the car for a test spin. If it pings more than just a little, turn it back the other way until the pinging stops.

A timing light is preferred!

-Mac

Depending on what year setup you're working with, the distributor is held to the block with a single bolt securing a rectangular sheetmetal plate attached at the other end to the underside of the distributor housing, or there's a sheetmetal ring attached to the distributor housing and a forked "claw" holding down that ring, the claw being attached to the block with one bolt. In either case, you loosen the one bolt to rotate the distributor and adjust the timing.

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64 val w/225. looking down at distributor, just behind to the right. flat plate with single bolt going into the block?

no timing light, but before i start looking elsewhere for solutions to problems i figured a little adjustment just to see if there's any improvement would help check it off the list or not. if it improves at all i'll get it dialed in properly.

Remember that a lot of things can affect "timing". What are your symptoms? I would adjust my valves Before I change the timing.
My02
Frank

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the longer part of the story isn't really electrical, but since you asked maybe you'd have some more ideas on the overall attack.

adjusted valves today, was in the works anyway.

symptoms were unusually shaky motor though mounts were good. rough idles, and prolonged efforts to start with a rough idle that took longer than usual to warm up and smooth out.

rebuilt carb last week, big improvement. was still having trouble getting both idles dialed in, or more importantly having them at one setting and getting them to run the same way everytime i ran the car.

valves adjusted today. gonna double check clearances tomorrow just for good measure, then on to ignition timing. got a timing light, but having trouble finding any marks even after having gotten the gunk out of there.

already much smoother running, better throttle response, hopefully i'll notice the mpg's go up. had been running at 9city/12hwy, bumped to 12 city after carburator, now hopefully after valves and getting the ignition timing dialed in tomorrow i'll be back in a respectable range. if i can get twenty i'll feel like i died and went to heaven, but for now if i can get 15 to 18 i'll be satisfied for the time being. seems like previous owner did what ever it took to keep it running, except fix things the correct way.

spent the last couple months getting cooling system on track after multiple used part fiascos, and did the full rewire when i first got it almost a year ago.

any other ideas what i should be checking for after setting distributor?

Your mileage is WAY low... you should be able to get 20 out of it with out too much work. Perhaps you have a stuck power valve in the carb?

How are your plugs? Are they black, or light tan, or what?

Rough idle: Possible vac leak. Check these things:
- Throttle shaft bushings on carb
- Leaks where intake manifold meets the head.

A can of carb cleaner will help you find vacuum leaks. Spray around each manifold runner as it meets the head. If the engine picks up and smoothes out, then you have a leak. Same thing for throttle shaft bushings.

Finally, have you done a compression test on the cylinders? My persistent rough running problem turned out to be burned valves, which showed up on a compression test.

-Mac