I know the answer, but I'll ask anyway

Is there any way (factory markings or something) to get the timing on a '90 Miata back to the factory 10° BTDC without a timing light?

Finally got the car put back together with the 9lb flywheel and full exhaust (Raceland header, RB test pipe, RB connecting pipe, RB muffler)......and the car is struggling.

It still runs and will pull to redline buy I can tell throttle tip-in is terrible and you can feel it fighting to Rev, 5th gear isn't good on anything but flat land a slight incline and more throttle = the car slowing down.

We had pulled the CAS to get to the upper bolt and I'm not positive we put it back exactly (our Sharpie marks got kind of worn off the head).

I'm pretty certain we have the ignition timing retarded from where it should be. But is there any reason the exhaust on the stock computer would cause it run strangely?

( I know I know, go get a timing light, )

Place a degree wheel on the cam with the motor at TDC.

A protractor, compass & and a paper plate can work in a pinch if you have your high school drafting skills up to snuff.

$10

http://www.amazon.com/Tooluxe-Xenon-Automotive-Timing-Light/dp/B000TE46SY/ref=sr_1_32?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1362326781&sr=1-32&keywords=timing+light

Thats infinitely more complex than a timing light.

Mainly I was curious if there was a mark on the CAS and a corresponding one on the head that allows a reference to stock timing.

Just checked teh AutoZone web site, DAMN! not cheap!

The computer resets to 10 degree unless you use the jumper wire technique. Have you redone the timing belt so that you could be a tooth or more off correct timing. Something else is wrong in your scenario.

The computer does not reset to 10 degrees. Ever.

Basically, setting the timing is a matter of calibrating the sensors on the engine so the computer has an accurate reading. The degree wheel won't really do anything unless you can tell exactly when the plugs are firing.

BTW, HF lists timing lights at $20. They're really just fast-acting light bulbs so I wouldn't be worried about accuracy :)

Tell us just what you did to the engine. Obviously, it was more than an exhaust install.

As I said in the original OP , when we were doing the clutch, we pulled the CAS and Coil pack to get to the top two bolts (even though in hindsight it wasn't really necessary).

We had marked the sensor and the head with a sharpie, but while we were working on the car, we rubbed 95% of the sharpie mark (which we made thick) off the head, so we weren't confident we were putting it back correctly.

So I'm 99.9% sure we screwed up the timing putting the CAS back on. I was asking if there were some marks from Mazda to get it back to stock, because I wanted to take the car today and enjoy it vs spending 1.5 hours driving to HF and back, then re-setting the timing.

Was already hacked we got the clutch/new Raceland header and Racing Beat from their back exhaust on and I didn't get to go to Hallett today because we screwed the pooch on the timing. I knew there was no way a fresh full exhaust + 9lb flywheel should rev so slow.

Of course the car feels slow compared to the '13 GT Mustang, but not THIS slow!!! But it does sound like retarded vs advanced ignition, correct?

Very old school and somewhat crude method: car running at idle, loosen cas and rotate it advanced and retarded. Note when it starts to drop in rpm's each way. Halfway between will be close.

what Don49 said ... I haven't checked, but is a timing light one of the tools that a parts store will loan?