Timing:

Ground the timing connector, a single wire on the firewall area near the brake booster, usually with a cap on the end of the connector. This disables the ecu control of timing. Now set the timing to the fsm spec with a timing light.

Good to see you have it running again ... So your saying you have a "brand new OEM Mitsu TB.."...?..Or used TB...?

thanks eddy, will do! if it wasn't for you guys i might not of gotten this working again. just so you know, the reason it wouldn't start was a connector was kinda corroded, it was the connector that plugged into the ignition coil...not the 3 connectors beneath it and not the wire that goes to the distributor cap, but the other one thats on the top side of the ignition coil. i took a wire brush to it and checked for spark and hey the truck started. so thanks again for all the help with the distributor, that was kinda tricky.. i hope to figure out the timing some time today and i'll let you guys know how that goes.

for the record, now that i've gotten this far i feel i can fix anything on this truck. thats saying alot for some one who never worked on cars before. now back to this high idle...

forgot to answer your question...it was a used throttle body...you think i should try another throttle body?

well i looked all over the place for a papper clip to short out the connector by the brake booster but couldnt find one...i'll figure something out though.

but in the mean time i gotta a thought that i want to express to you guys... i've been thinking about sending in the computer for a repair in case thats whats causing the high idle. the question is...if i use a paper clip to short out the computers controls of the idle speed as though i was getting ready to use a timing light...if my idle were to return to normal or drop close to 750rpms would that indicate that the computer is causing the high idle? see what i'm saying?

You don't short it. You ground it. It's a single conductor. Connect a wire from the connector to a ground.

The ecu controls idle speed with the ICS doodad only. THe only other idle control is a thermostatic fast idle valve in the throttle body which works off coolant heat. If the engine speed changes when the ign advance wire is shorted, the high idle is due to too much ignition advance at idle.

I think the problem is not the ecu. The most probable fault noted with a failed ecu is no spark, because the leaking caps eat the ign driver traces.t

Thanks eddy... I found a alligator clip and was able to ground the connector. I did this while the truck was running and the idle dropped from about 1800rpms down to 1000rpms. It held steady until I gave it it a little gas, then it jumped back up to 1800 or so. I turn the truck off disconnected the ground wire and started it again. I was back at 1800rpms, so i went to ground the connector again and when I hooked up the alligator clip the rpms stayed at 1800rpms instead of dropping down to 1000 again... does this tell you guys anything? thanks!

so whatcha think?

I think before I fire up the3.5 I'm putting in my 87, all connectors are going to get brushed, then put together with dielectric grease. My 89 with the 3.0 is doing the same. I'm following this thread with great interest, along with KrazyDave's high idle thread. When I get a chance, I'm going to chase my issues down withthese two thread.

Well, it tells me the idle dropped once. Do a better job of grounding the connector. When you ground the connector, it kills ecu timing control. Since I see no mention of a timing light, I assume you didn't do that step? We have to have both rpm and advance info to diagnose this. You can get an induction timing light on loan from autozome or advanced retail stores.