Thanks Simpler!

I have a dial indicator. Just thought I'd try the cheap & dirty method first. If I have the dial indicator method in my head correctly I take the valve lash out of the system, compress #1 intake 0.080, and read the balancer which should show 11 degrees. I'll try that today. Why couldn't you just use a feeler gage to take the lash out and rotate the engine instead of messing with the valve adjustment? Seems simpler (but maybe it isn't).

So is there any performance advantage to advancing the timing past stock?

Dan