change the timing on my car?

[potatonet 0]

my AFR will drop suddenly recently when I turn my car on after having it on for a while then turning it off. It begins to sputter and backfire, and HAS NO HORSEPOWER, I can rev the engine and it will go back to normal but I believe the timing is being changed... checked the timing today and its 5-8 degrees before TDC, RIGHT where is should be. what can change the timing on this car, I know its not the ECU I already tried that... knock sensor or dizzy?

[Chris VR6nos 0]

but the knock sensor or dizzy don't change the timing, it tells the ECU to change it and it does, just being pedantic.

 

The knock sensor may be contaminated and causing the signal to the ECU to be incorrect perhaps.

 

Don't know too much about the non VR engines though but will watch this one to see how it turns out!.

 

 

Chris