I think I have the correct bypass unplugged in order to set timing, but when trying to set timing the engine seems to lope or readjust. The wire is tan and black, located along the passenger side of the firewall. Other posts i've read suggest it is located between the A/C and the EGR or A/C and dizzy. Can someone please confirm I have the correct wire unplugged?

 

It is on the passanger side firewall. Is a single connector, with the colors you had above. Usually hugging the hvac blower compartment.

 

Thanks, I have the right wire disconnected. Any ideas why the engine lopes while setting the timing when the EST bypass is disconnected?

 

Are you just setting the timing to the stock 10* bdc?

Is the car stock to your knowldege??? I ask because a cam will make it lopy exspecially when your setting base timing.

 

I am setting the timing to 10 degrees before top dead center.
Yes the car is stock as far as I know. The guy I bought it from did mention that he had advanced the timing because it ran better. Not sure exactly what he meant. Since then I have replaced the entire distributor assembly and the harmonic balancer. When I get to TDC the timing mark is retarded like 140 or so, yet the rotor is pointing to the #1 plug.

It stalls when warm only, every stop nearly. It's loping at idle consistently. It's when it lopes that it stalls. CEL just came on. Code 42 MAF?

 

Unplug the MAF sensor. Then see if the lopeing goes away.

 

1. Stalling when stopped is a good indicator of a vac leak. Even a failing MAF should stay running at a stop.
2. Code 42 is set with the EST wire disconnected (EST failure).
3. MAF codes are either 33 or 34, and may also cause codes 44 and 45 (lean and rich).

Need to stab the dizzy according to the WIDE mark on the damper. It doesn't matter where you set the rotor as long as it's pointing to a terminal on the cap with the WIDE damper mark set to either TDC or 10* BTDC. If you're saying you're 140 degrees out, either you or the PO was trying to set the timing using either the #2 or #3 marks... Or you're on the wrong plug wire (#1 is PASSENGER'S side front cylinder, not driver's).