What is the timing now? I would reinstall the dizzy aligned correctly with the valve cover off, re-time the motor with a light, and reset the idle speed. Install the "old" depression chamber for now. Let it idle and check vac advance with vac pump and light. Check centrif advance with vac removed/plugged with light and tach. specs:
Basic ignition timing at curb idle speed 7öBTDC (vac removed/plugged
Distributor
Federal
Governor (crank deg/rpm) Initial 0/1600\
Middle 9/2800 \
Final 19/6000 / centrif adv.
Vacuum (crank deg/mmHg) Initial 0/80
Middle 12/150
Final 23/280

Engine curb idle speed is 800 +- 100.

To reinstall the dizzy, remove the coil wire, then the cap and lay aside. Remove the valve cover. Rotate the engine until the timing notch on the crank pulley aligns with TDC on the scale on the timing cover. Check that both valves on #1 are closed. Rockers should be on cam low point and should be slight play in the rocker in the rocking direction. Dizzy rotor should point at about 10:15. Dowel pin hold in cam dizzy drive gear should be about 5 minutes short of 12:00 straight up. Remove the clamp bolt from dizzy stud and remove the dizzy. Align the drilled mark on the driven gear with the housing cast mark. Drilled mark is near roll pin hole. Holding shaft thus aligned, reinsert dizzy into the head, centering adjustment slot over clamp nut stud. Continue inserting held aligned until the dizzy gear begins to engage the cam gear and then continue inserting whith alignment hold released, letting dizzy shaft rotate as the engagement of the gears dictates. Dizzy rotor should point at the #1 plug cap electrode position, just about at the edge of the cap clamp. Reinstall dizzy and cap and coil wire, and set timing to 7*BTDC at engine idle of 800rpms. If necessary to set idle speed, make sure you adjust the right screw. The one further forward and angled a little flatter in the more inner position is the right one. Hard to see.

I'd make sure this stuff is right before I bought more than a new depression chamber. I've successfully repaired minor acutator diaphragm leaks with rubber cement thinned with alcohol, inserted thru a tube inserted thru the vac line nipple while holding diaphragm level. Let cure with diaphragm level at least overnight. Then repeat thru actuator end.

Over-advanced timing will kill top end and cause idle spitting thru the carb.

I think you are probably right. It does seem like a timing problem. I guess i will break out a timing light and do this tommorow. I only checked it at idle so far. Thanks for the specs. I have the haynes manual but it is to vague on some things. I will give it another go.

On Tommy's his mechanical advance mechanism was stuck, I would check to see if yours has the same issue. 20+ year old grease get quite sticky and makes a great distributor glue.

That might explain the timing being so far off.

Kevin

I think CapnCrunch is right. Vehicles need to be 25 years or older to get past the emission inspection. The intermediate sized weber carb will definitely put you out of spec. Unless you go with the smaller stock replacement?
You may have a vacuum line problem with the vacuum operated secondary.

Ok, heres an update. I know you guys are going to yell at me for doing this. Yes i did, i bought the weber from racetep and the dizzy was definately bad. It was advancing to 32+ deg at 3200 RPM. The dizzy will be here tommorow and i think it will be a solid fix. They dont require smog here yet so i should be good for awhile. I am keeping all my old parts and taking pictures of all my vac lines etc when i put the new weber on. I ordered the 32/36 carb instead of the 38. I will keep you all updated when the parts all get here.

That sounds like proper advance.

You said the cat was eliminated, had it gone bad? I have seen damaged cats send there monolith down into the muffler and plug it. Probably not your issue but was your cat intact when removed?

The cat was removed. I just got the Weber on and it seems to run better. We just got about 10 inches of snow and I canÆt get a good reference of a test drive in it. Once it clears ill take her out. Could someone tell me the symptoms of the cracked head problem these things have? I am wondering if I am experiencing this as the high RPM power loss or not. Also what range is considered good compression?

Standard value : 1200 kPa (170 psi) [250-400 rpm]
Limit : 960 kPa (136 psi) [250-400 rpm]

variance limit is 14psi

Cracked head will show as coolant loss and overheating, and the test is compustion products in the coolant. K-D makes a $50 test kit for that.

Sorry to bring up an old post but this is what I'm experiencing, what was the out come of this problem? Anyone know?

Change your fuel filter first, I had a problem like this and that cleared it right up. Do that first then worry about the other stuff.