Engine won't stay running!

[angry_dave]

from my experience, mostily with chevy 350's if the distributor jumps a tooth, it will idle irradically, you can also change the coil, to make the spark a little better, and of course check the points,cap, rotor, but i honestly would be more worried about the jacked up compression numbers. But if it requires full throttle to idle at 1000, it is probably not getting a good enough spark, spark may jump the gap, but may not be hot enough. to weed it out, try dumping a little gas down the carb at w.o.t. and see if the rpm rises. if it does, you are not getting enough fuel. a little dangerous to try, but effective, and anyhow, you sound like a back woods shade tree mech like myself. what branch of service are you in, ive been in the army for 6 1/2 years.