With the wire disconnected I set it to 6 degrees advanced and then when i plug it back in the timing gets retarded to like 6 or 8degrees retarded?

I can set the timing with the wire plugged in to about 6 and itll jump around between 5-7 advanced at idle.

The engine is running rich at the moment, is it retarding the timing trying to burn more fuel or what?

Should I just set the base timing with the wire plugged in so it stays at around 6 advance or do it with the wire unplugged and let it retard the timing so much?

This is on a mild 350tbi

Strange, normally when plugging the EST by-pass connector, timing should be around 16-24° depending on the idle state SA and/or base timing in the tune.

BTW how did the boosted 305 turn out?

Either the ignition module is bad, the pickup coil is bad, or the pickup coil wires to the ICM are reversed.

RBob.

Ended up backing out of the boosted 305tbi in favor of a 350.
I had a vortech on my camaro though with a 350tpi, constantly had issues and it poped the head gaskets cause I was always getting knock, i ended up just selling all my boost stuff and buying my 350tbi engine.


RBob, the distributor is a fairly new one from the auto parts store that I used before without issue and all i did was change my intake gaskets, put new spark plug wires on and put the distributor back in and did the timing now its retarding. Before it would hold steady around 6adv with or without the wire plugged in. The headers are also glowing red hot.

glowing hot headers its running too rich it seems and the burn is happening with the exhaust valve open. so maybe your timing is actually off? Im just throwing something out there.

Could you have an ESC(knock sensor) fault that's commanding full retard?

Womp womp, I feel dumb
I had it set at 6 retarded, instead of 6 advanced.

But I reset it where it needs to be, and the timing jumps to probably 20ish advanced with the wire plugged in and the exhaust isent glowing any more.

So thanks for the help guys, sorry if I made anyone waste too much time trying to help me.

Now I just have to wait for the dyno shop to get there dyno fixed

Well at lest you have some nice experience , hope it turns out better with the 350 tbi.