Kick @$$ dude. Could save me a fuel filter change. I'll get right on it. We'll see what happens. Hopefully the don88er (don-eighty-ator) will have a good one to give.
If you haven't done it recently, I would change the filter anyway. It only takes a few minutes and a few bucks. Probably not what your problem is, but simple maintenance saves a whole lot of future head aches.
I have made a deduction. If the timing isn't faulty (If TDC and CAM indicator line up, it shouldn't be) yet has to be set far in advanced for the engine to operate as smooth as it's going to right now, that means the charge isn't igniting properly. So when I get back home, I am going to pull one spark plug wire and install a spark plug in it, and see what kind of spark is getting through. The wires are the only ignition component I haven't replaced, perhaps it's possible they some how developed some extreme resistance. It's rather unlikely, but so is this whole situation. It seems that for the charge to be so hard to ignite, it would have to be ultra rich or ultra lean...
My fuel Pressure regulator WAS bad. I removed the upper intake earlier to find raw gas dripping out of it. I also attempted to realign the timing belt, but apparently failed at the first attempt. I am going to try again, hopefully this time with better results.
I say just check the vacuum lines. I had a cracked vacuum line that was causing me to get less than 10 miles the gallon. It was like I was driving a big block....but with no power.
Did you ever change the MAP sensor as suggested earlier? It's about the only thing I haven't seen you mention. It's just about the last thing in the Spark/fuel/air metering components that remain. I'm betting that's it. If not the MAP itself, the vacuum line running to the MAP from the manifold. It's a shame Ford's MAP's use a generated frequency to report manifold vacuum rather than a voltage change like GM's MAPs. It makes them a pain to test and only a few auto parts store people can do it successfully. The only thing that puzzles me is that there's no code thrown for the MAP. It must be that the signal from the MAP to the ECU is still within the table making the ECU think the MAP is good.
Did you ever change the MAP sensor as suggested earlier? It's about the only thing I haven't seen you mention. It's just about the last thing in the Spark/fuel/air metering components that remain. I'm betting that's it. If not the MAP itself, the vacuum line running to the MAP from the manifold. It's a shame Ford's MAP's use a generated frequency to report manifold vacuum rather than a voltage change like GM's MAPs. It makes them a pain to test and only a few auto parts store people can do it successfully. The only thing that puzzles me is that there's no code thrown for the MAP. It must be that the signal from the MAP to the ECU is still within the table making the ECU think the MAP is good.
I've replaced the map but now i think the problem may lie in one of two places. Either improper manifold pressure due to extreme alteration of the vacuum system or electrical fault in air fuel circutry in car.
For kicks and grins, try this. I'm thinking you might be able to troubleshoot the vacuum plumbing by simply isolating it from the motor. Mark and disconnect all of the vacuum lines on the vacuum tree except the one for the MAP and the fuel pressure regulator. Plug the nipples on the tree, and start the car. If there's anything wierd going on elsewhere in the vacuum plumbing, this would eliminate if from the equation. You could further track it down by plugging each line back in one at a time until it starts to run like crap again (assuming the isolation trick works and the motor straightens up first) It's just a theory and someone may come along after me and prove me wrong (I'm human, it happens) but it makes sense to me and you've already put serious time into this so a little more won't hurt, right?
Does that one have the vacuum line that attaches underneath the throttle body ? I had a hell of a time with my '91 when I first put it back in the car with it running rough and wanting to die. It was dark when I finally got it running and it was smoking from the assembly lube I used on the pistons so I don't know if it was running rich or not, but I do know it was running like crap. Anyway, I'd forgot to attach that vacuum line. If that line is off or deteriorated, it could make it run bad.
I'm just throwing stuff out there, its hard to troubleshoot a car through a keyboard sometimes. I hope we're helping.