Hunting for Ghosts Idle and Timing

[Axoure Dragonkin]

Body: 1992 240sx SEPower Plant: s14 ka24de 60k ish (using s13 auto harness and dist)ECU: 1992 AutomaticTransmission: s13 ka24de 5spd

Modifications:

Striped intake manifold (only fpr and brake booster run on the vacuum, everything else is plugged/removed including gallery and sensors not plugged in)Ebay Cold Air Intake (Filter located outside engine bay)5spd swapNismo Motor/Transmission Mounts

2 Things going on...

First

I can not get the distributor on the correct tooth to line up with timing marks on the crank. I can get almost to 20 if I rotate dist all the way forward or way past on the next tooth. Runs ok on the first setting.

It makes an exhaust popping noise at the first setting when I go from a stand still and when I shift first to second. No pop second to third or any other gear.

I had my friend ride along with me who works on old Z's all the time and he told me it sounded like an exhaust leak and not a backfire.

On the next tooth it won't start.

Second

Idle sits at a nice 700 with tps plugged in. When I pull the tps to adjust timing. The idle goes crazy high. Like 2k and bobs there. I tried adjusting the valve screw. I can only get it down to 1700. On the previous motor I pulled the IACV and cleaned it and it seemed to help with the not adjusting problem. That is going to be my next step.

I am trying to figure out if this may be a ECU problem. Maybe without the sensors it's going crazy?

Are these 2 problems related?I suspect this may be an automatic ecu problem, I will be picking up an s13 manual ecu this weekend.

My gas milage seems to suck too. FPR?

Thanks a lot guys.