Opti Timing?
 

I switched my opti, cap, rotor, plugs and wires today on my 95 Formula (I also removed the A.I.R pump and capped the vacuum lines). The car cranks for a while before finally starting, idle appears smooth but it bogs and backfires out the intake manifold.

I had set the rotor to the same point on the cap and made sure the opti was sitting flat (and yes it slid right on under it's own will); however I think I rolled the car backward to move the dogbones? on the crank to be able to remove the old opti. I'd imagine it was very possible to mess up the timing by doing that although I can't find anything online about it... I only hooked up the radiator, MAF, and vacuum lines.

Is it possible I messed up the timing or did I do something else wrong? Or am I possibly missing a sensor or something?

You can not change timing without pulling timing chain off. So you are safe there.

Very likely you have wires crossed or not on fully.

Slight chance you installed the opti wrong, or its a bum unit.

Crossed wires is most likely. Incorrect dowel hole is another possibility but I am unsure if it would run in that case.

I can't see the dowel hole being wrong unless I did move the car after last checking the rotor. The rotor is sitting in the same spot as it did before but like I said I didn't check the dowel hole because I assumed if the rotor sat at the same point on the cap that it was timed properly.

Then starting checking for correct spark plug wire connections and no burnt wires.

And if that's not it then the cam moved since the last time I checked the rotor's position on the old Opti? I don't mind if I have to pull the water pump and pulley back off and just re-seat the opti but I want to be sure that's what the issue is.

You cannot change timing no matter how hard you want to without pulling the timing cover.

Their is still some sort of timing based on the position of the rotor/point in the engine's cycle I'd imagine. The cam dowel being seated on the wrong slot will throw the rotor to a different point on the cap; therefor affecting what cylinder fires when?

I will repeat, you cannot change timing unless you forced the opti onto the dowel pin, in which case you would be like 60* out and I doubt it would run.

The rotor, AFAIK, is pinned and cannot be installed backwards.

Look at your wires, and stop chasing ghosts.

I am only arguing cause I have double checked the wires already. The rotor is pinned to only seat one way but the opti itself can be seated 3 ways. When I say it went on easily, it pretty much slid on under it's own will; seriously took 2 fingers to set it in place.

How hard would it have been to force it onto one of the other slots?

You installed it like below?
http://corvetteactioncenter.com/tech...optispark2.jpg

Doing it right, the opti should push in pretty easily.

What brand is it?

http://shbox.com/1/opti.jpg

Just an FYI, you do know that they don't go 1-3-5-7 and 2-4-6-8 on the opti?

I'm aware, when I put the plugs on I was looking at my old cap which was marked. I also have a tendency to mark my wires when I put them on to make it easier to check the firing order. I'll have to check to see that I marked them right I guess.