ignition timing 22 deg. advanced at idle- HELP!!

[jaymac]

My girlfriends car has been having problems running for awhile, mainly bucking and surging at part throttle, and when you go to WOT, the tach drops to zero and the car just does nothing... back off to 3/4 and then half throttle and it will pick back up again....
Let's see... I hollowed out the cats (they were glowing red and I didn't have the money at the time to have them replaced)
2. I replaced the plugs and wires straight from Ford
3. Replaced the fuel filter.
4. replaced an 02 sensor that got a malfunction reading when I scanned the codes.
5. Replaced the battery w/ a new Motorcraft.
Now, the only other thing I found when scanning the codes was that the ignition timing was 22 deg. advanced at idle and up to 26 during acceleration. I DON"T GET IT! I'm not familiar with the DIS system, as my ride is an 88 5.0, so I don't know how to adjust the timing!! is it computer controlled??
lastly, the car had been sitting for a long time before, a few months at a time, so I put some dry gas and fuel injector cleaner in it, but I don't think that would cause the igition timig advance.
I also read the tps voltage with the car driving and it was fine, as was the MAF, and lastly the check engine light is not on- it went off after I replaced the 02 sensor...
any help or ideas from anyone would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!
Thanks,
Jeremy

 

[03gtmustang]

What year is her car, does she have a timing adjustor?

 

[2002BLGT]

what kind of car is it , are you getting anymore check engine light problems ?

 

[jaymac]

it's actually a 95 thunderbird, but the same OBD II and size engine as the 4.6 Mustangs... as far as I know, the car did not come stock w. a timing adjuster...do you think an aftermarket adjuster would work? or is there a way to do it without?
Also, since I'm not familiar with the DIS system, is 22 deg. too high?? I would think so..., no?
I had a check engine light on befre I replaced the 02, and now it's gone...

 

[GOLDENPONY]

Timing

Are you absolutely sure you got the plug wires back on in the right configuration?

 

[jaymac]

exact same way they came off... I did them one by one.... I thought maybe it could be cross-firing, with the confusing wiring patterns of the DIS system, but how would that explain the 22 deg. adv. at idle, or is it SUPPOSED to be 22 deg. at idle... I really don't know oin this system...

 

[jaymac]

does anyone know if there's a way to manually adjust the timing on the car or if it's sensor-controlled, and if so, what sensors might be making it so high??
thanks

 

[jaymac]

ttt

 

[billyfe390]

I am not sure but 22 at idle is correct mine is at 20 it will vary from there but that seems normal. You say it has been sitting for a while is the fuel pump providing the correct pressure.

 

[shaddixstang]

Don't know about the timing issue but my car started doing the same thing awhile back and it was the fuel pump. Would work fine for a while then it would heat up a take a crap. My car would start bucking and surging when I got on it. Let off and the fuel pump could " catch up". I would defiantly try changing the fuel pump.
Jon

 

[jaymac]

geez.... never even thought of that ... not sure if the guy reading the scanner checked for fuel pressure at full throttle... I'll go back and do that.... anybody happen to know if swapping the fuel pump on the 95's is as easy as on the 88 stangs? Either way, I have the manual at home, I'll check there if I don't hear back...
thanks alot guys, I'll let you know...
Jeremy

 

[jaymac]

looks like it's kind of a hassle to check the fuel pressure (as per the directions in the manual)....

 

[jaymac]

ok, so i checked the fuel pressure. Max pressure I could get was 41 psi... do you think that means it's the fuel pump??
If that doesn't fix the problem, where else should I check? (all codes scanned came up clean, except for "lean condition, left and right bank", which I'm assuming is due to the faulty fuel pump)
thanks
J