Hard Starting

[Bill K]

My car used to be running the instant you hit the switch. Now something has changed, and I don't know what.
Now it has to spin a while before it hits, and then it runs rough until it warms up.
Once warmed up, it seems to run just fine, except for a bit of a bang out when moving to the higher end of second gear, only second, no other gear.
I've set the auto chock from full shut, to about 3/4 shut, and no improvement.
I've gone from points to electronic, back to points with no improvement.
If I set the timing at 10 degrees BTDC it will only fully advance to 12 degrees ATDC. I couldn't get it to run worth a hoot like that, so I set it at 23 degrees full advance, and that has it is running at about 9 degrees ATDC at idle . It seems to run fine with that setting, except for the slow start, and the second gear bang out.
I have even tried running hotter plugs in an effort to cure the starting annoyance, but to no avail.
I'm running a vacumn advance distributor, with a single pic 30-31 carburetor.
I know the vacumn advance is working, just don't know if its fully working. Can a vacumn advance work just partially, or is it either good or bad, with no in between? The reason I ask this is the fact that I can only go from 10 deg. BTDC to 12 degrees AFTC.
I had blocking plates on my heat risers, and recently tried running them open. Could that have made the difference?
Should I try setting the timing at 28 degrees full advance?
Before I start messing with it again, I'd appreciate any and all advice.

[Bryan Porter]

Bill if your timing is going from 10 BTDC to 12 ATDC it is retarding the timing not advanceing it. Before is advance after is retarding.

[Bill K]

You are so right, Bryan.
Color me stupid. I had my terminology completely out of time.
Murzi walked me through some timing issues, and my car seems to be running great.
The test will come this weekend after giving it some cruisin' time in the hills.