WTF!!!! Why is setting timing soo hard

[gr8scott]

Then the 10 (or 12 or 16) you want to read is OPPOSITE not the one you have highlighted. You want to be advancing into the long end of the tape. If you go to the short end (marked 0 to 10) you are retarding your timing and it will run worse.

I didn't catch that. His post says 'right of zero', but the arrow in the pic is pointing to left of zero.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yes, but I think they got it squared away.
I don't know all bout the "towards the water pump" or whatever, but on an engine where the crankshaft turns clock-wise when running, as ours do, then any number to the right of the zero comes up to the pointer before the zero does. Making numbers to the right advanced, or before-top-dead-center (BTDC).

That's why the timing tape shows more numbers to the right of zero than to the left. You want to see more of the spark advance readings. Which are to the right of zero.

Paul