So last week I decided to swap out my intake manifold out to a performer TBI I picked up for 50 bucks. Messed up the first time didn't mark the distributor and believed the autozone guy when he said I had enough sealer for everything I needed to do. So that was pretty bad. Had someone come out to get the car started but it was idling rough and the engine was shaking. I drove it a bit and it wasn't my car before the swap. Come last Friday and sat I redid everything again. With more RTV and a marker. So I got her running better then how she was before but still shaking. I moved the distributor to advance and retard the timing but to both extremes(point of car turning off) it still shakes. I did find a sweet spot where it was smoother but still shaking and much less power than before the actual swap.
I am taking the car to a shop to look at it but any ideas on what I messed up?

 

Common mistake many people make when swapping an intake manifold. Not checking timing before they start.

Pull out the #1 spark plug and bump the engine over until you determine where #1 TDC is. Looking at the timing mark, bar the engine over until the pointer is close to 8* BTDC. That now gives you a starting point as you should now have the engine sitting at or very close to 8* BTDC on #1 cylinder.

Now, pull the distributor cap to see where the rotor is pointing. When looking at the cap from the front, it should be roughly in the 5 o'clock position. If it isn't then you need to pull the distributor and move the position. This will also mean using a flat tip screwdriver to turn the oil pump drive so that the distributor will drop all the way back down after it's been turned.

Now the last step is with the cap removed, observe where the pickup pointers are positioned. As long as you haven't turned the engine over, it should still be at 8* TDC. Line up the pickup pointers inside the distributor and clamp the distributor down. Timing is now close enough that the engine should start and you can adjust the timing with a timing light. Put the cap back on.

Lastly is the plug wires. #1 is still roughly in the 5 o-clock position so start with that one. Firing order is 18436572 in a clockwise rotation. 5 and7 are very easy to mix up because they are right beside each other and also beside each other in the firing order.

Once that's done, you should be able to start the engine and recheck the timing.

 

Okay that sounds like a plan. I just didn't know about setting 8 before the zero on cylinder one. I just turned the engine to zero and marked it. But I can see a problem already my cylinder one wire is not at 5 o'clock position. My number one plug is about a space or two back. That shouldn't take me to long to do at all. I'll do it then come back with the results thanks a lot. I've been picking up bits of proper information on the distributor and how all that works.

 

I'm suggesting 8* because that's a typical good ignition timing setting. Actual best base timing depends on the cam grind. At least setting it to 8* is enough that you can get the engine started and readjust the timing with a light.

 

Okay so I set everything up 8* BTDC then followed all the steps. Car started up better than before but I still got shacking through throttle. I've set the timing with everything I needed but I've lost alot of power everywhere. Off the line the car no longer spins the tires as much and it's just not there.
The timing has been set to 12-13* it's where the car runs the smoothest. But still a bit of shacking on the gas and I've lost power.