Distributor Timing Help

[CDNTurboZ]

I borrowed a timing light today to check the distributor timing. I took off the airbox and let the car warm up. I then unplugged the coolant sensor and moved the distributor unitl the mark on the flywheel read 12 degrees. I then plugged in the sensor, and turned off the car. I tightened up the distributor and started up the car, it was running real rough....

What did I do wrong?????
We just finished doing a headgasket swap this week and I took the car to university today, etc. It has a miss at idle (much more noticeable then before)and it takes a few more cranks before it starts....
any help would be great!!

thanks
steve

edit: this is on a 86 shelby charger TI

[GLHS592]

Are you sure you have the timing belt on right? Maybe it's off a tooth or two.

[CDNTurboZ]

I'll have to check the timing tonight.....I have to take the lower timing cover off don't I?

[3nglenn]

+1 on the timing belt^. Some other things to do are: make sure all your spark plug wires are pushed down tight in the distributer cap, check the shutter wheel underneath the HEP for excessive play, and maybe just try unhooking the battery for a few minutes to reset the computer. Give it some time to settle down after unhooking the battery. Keep us posted. G.P.

[3nglenn]

Oh, also go over your vacuum lines, and check for leaks.

[turbovanman²]

Nope, leave the lower cover on. Set the engine to TDC using the flywheel mark, remove the distributor cap and note where #1 is on the cap and mark the dist base. Now look at the cam mark, it should be at 12 oclock. An easy way is to use a paint pen and mark the v/c in the middle and also the gear at the mark-do this behind the sprocket and you can see at a glance if your out. If you are, just remove the cam gear bolt, slide off the cam gear and belt, install gear and move by hand the correct amount of teeth, reinstall by sliding gear back on cam with belt on, make sure rotor is pointing at mark you made earlier.
One more hint, tighten distributor and recheck BEFORE you hook up coolant sensor-it can move while being tightened.

[CDNTurboZ]

yeah that was the problem it moved when I turned it off , the second time I got my dad to watch the timing with the light while I tightened it down. It runs a lot better now, it can boost to 4k with ease.

It is still running rich though, the car has a mp computer in it, would that be causing the rich condition? I have a few 86 Daytona computers, but they are for autos, will they work?

[CDNTurboZ]

today I swapped ecu's no difference at all, it still pops/misses a bit at idle and smells rich. I guess next I'll check the injectors.

also if the cam timing were off would it produce a poor idle? The car revs and boosts fine, but at idle it goes to hell......

Maybe I need a cam key?? I swapped on a 86 head that already had a roller cam on it with a square toothed sprocket. (that car ran fine with this cam, no idle like this...)

[3Bar_Mopar]

When checking distributor timing, I move it where I want it and turn off the car while the coolant temp sensor is still unplugged. Then I plug it in and restart the car. Been dead on every time.