I have a 97 Civic with a D16y8 turbocharged with a VAFC and 450cc injectors doing the AFC hack for fuel management (I know I know)... I am having problems with my ignition timing. I jumpered the pins by the ECU and my CEL is flashing. I have the distributor all the way back and my timing is right on the middle 3 which is stock timing and I believe to be 12 degrees. I'm trying to get down to 8 degrees timing but the distributor won't move back anymore. Could I be off a tooth on the t belt? It runs great doesn't seem to have any power loss at all I drove it around for a couple months NA and it seemed normal. Could the VAFC be messing with my timing? Help a noob please! (And I know I need a standalone but I'm working with what I have)

EDIT: I pulled my timing cover off, looks perfect.

 

If this ECU is still stock enough to flash out trouble codes, count the flashes and resolve the code. The CEL should be on steady while you have the jumper in to set the timing.

 

CEL is on from no secondary no o2 sensor, I have a test pipe so no 2nd o2. When I move the distributor I can see that it is changing the timing, but I need to retard it more than the distributor will turn

 

Well I took the distributor off and re mounted it and now for some reason it is opposite? Car runs fine now, but it was perfect timing when fully advanced instead of fully retarded. So now I can put it where I want it. What would have made it flip, could I have it 180 degrees off?

 

distributor only goes in one way theres a key on the cam.....even if you somehow managed to force it on your timing would be off by 180 degrees and wouldnt even start up

 

Just to be sure, if I wanted to retard my timing 4 degrees I would be right about here wouldnt I?

 

Yes the red mark pictured would be ~12 degrees base timing.

You should get a real tune though.