Trouble with a non-muscle car.

[76GMC1500]

I've got a friend with a '87 2.2 turbo fi out of a Dodge Daytona. The car has a bad hesitation off idle. I hooked up a timing light, the timing is erradic, when you hold the throttle in the off idle the timing drops to 0, and when you get it past the off idle, it holds 8 degrees and the initial is supposed to be 12. What could be the problem? I told him to replace the ignition module in the distributor. Could it be the computer?

[screamer63_1979]

Assuming the coputer controls the timing, you cannot get an accurate reading with the timing light unless you unplug/ground the appropriate wire.

Have you checked the codes in teh computer? any check engine light on?

Most likley culprit would be the TPS (throttle position sensor).

Randomly hanging parts IS NOT THE THING TO DO unless you have lots o money. The parts you told him to replace probably cost more than paying a shop to diagnose teh problem!

[WRENCHD]

chris is right. and you have to unplug the temp sender to put the eng into open loop before you can time it right, and also you didn't say if it was turbo or not, if it has turbo then you should see 2 sets of wires comming from distwith two each if i'm not mistaken. also reset the plugs to 40 instead of 35 thousands. it will take out the lean miss that you may have.