The motor is a 92 TBI that I swapped into my 87 camaro. I unhooked the brown/black wire connector and my timing light is showing about 6-7 degrees advanced. Now when I plug back in the brown/black connector I still only show the same 6-7 degrees advanced just like when the connector was unpluged. There is no change at all. Isn't it supposed to show total timing when the connector is pluged in, like even more advanced than with base timing? Also for some reason my engine is ideling pretty high, what could be some causes of this? Any help would be appreciated.

 

well, if I remember correctly...base timing for that should be 0* with the wire unhooked. Having it advance to 6* could be causing the high idle. Try setting it to 0* with the wire unhooked and see what happens. I had a 90 TBI that the timing was advanced about 4* on that idled a little high. I set it to 0*, the idle slowed down to normal and gained about 2 miles per gallon.

 

Ok, I dont want to insult you or anything, but when you plugged the wires back together, did you unhook the battery and let the computer reset itself??? when you disconnect that wire, it doesnt allow the computer to advance the timing. From what Ive heard, stock base timing shoudl be about 6... But after you do this, you should unhook the battery, then plug the wires back together, wait awhile, then hook it all back up. Unhooking the wires pulls a SES light, and the computer might not recognize the wires are back together. Try that if you havent. If you have...then I just wasted a post. haha. Just my thought tho...
Justin

 

you need to re-sart the car after you hook the wire back up.

 

Thanks for all the replies so far. Ok first I started the car with the connector pluged in and I did see more advance than when the connector is unpluged. I don't know what it was exactly because my timing marks on my cover end at 12 degrees advanced and my balancer mark was a couple inches past that. I ran the car for awhile and then shut it down, unpluged the connector and set base timing to 6-7 degrees and shut the car down again, then pluged back in the connector and took the neg. battery cable off, but only for a few seconds. You think I didn't leave the battery off long enough for the computer to reset itself and show total advance, instead of the base timing I was seeing even with the connector pluged in? It was weird because initially I did see total advanced then I couldn't get the engine to move past the 6-7 degree base timing I set.

 

It sounds like you have the procedure down. But yeah you will need to let the batter unplugged alittle longer for the computer to reset. Everyone will tell you alittle differently, but I usually let it off for about 5 minutes or so. I go have a beer break or clean up or finish putting things back together. After that, you can hook the batt back up. Im not sure how it is on the TBI, but when I do my TPI motor, the motor runs funny after the computer is reset. You have to get in and drive her for awhile. Once you get above 40mph the computer goes into "learning" mode and will set itself to run nice. Then come back and re-check all the settings make sure they are all good to go. Also, make sure those advance wires that you unhooked are clean and secure so there is a good connection. Hope this helps...
Justin