Timing
 

HELP
I had to replace the head gasket on my 22re (a motor I rebuilt 7 years ago so I'm not a newbe to these things )

All went well but it now barely idles and will die, but runs okay when reved.

Well here's the problem. As far as I can tell, everything has lined up perfectly with the timing chain relative to TDC, and the rotor and the distributor all seem perfectly aligned at 0 degrees. The rotor is directly centered on the #1 spot on the distributor cap.

I put a timing light on it and the mark is about 2-3 inches to the left of the 0 mark. When I put the timing light on plug 4 and rev it, the mark is about an inch or more to left of 0.

I am completely baffled by this - it makes no sense to me.

Any ideas out there???

Grateful for feedback,

Greg

I don't think the rotor should be centered on the point on the cap at TDC since it's supposed to fire before that. Sounds like it's way advanced. I would say just set the timing as usual to 5 degrees BTDC on cylinder 1 with the diagnostic terminals jumpered, I think T and E1. If the terminals aren't jumpered I think the timing is around 12 degrees BTDC.