timing issue!!

[turbo minivan]

ok, so my omnis been missing a bit wile driving (usualy more noticable over 80kmh) its been doing it since i raced last week or so.
so i figured i might have just skipped a tooth on my timing belt. i checked the crank/cam/intermidiate shaft timing and there all dead on 100% perfect. before pulling the distributer i checked the obvious distributer timing to see if it had moved maby, and with the coolent temp sensor unpluged it wasnt even showing in the timing window, i turned the distributer a bit and the mark showed up in the window at like 16*. so i then checked all the phisical timing and it was all bang on perfect, then i reset the distributer to 12*. (usualy when everything is dead on and set to 12* the distributers flat edge sits paerellel to the block, but when i set mine to 12*, it was turned probly 10* more clockwise than it should normaly be)
so i set everything to 12* (even though my distributer was turned a bit too much in my opinion) and it idled like a dream, but when i would shut the car off, i cant start it again. but if i turn the distributer parrelel to the block again, it starts good, but the timing light shows its back at like 16* almost not showing in the window!!
so right now the cars set to run, but i have no idea what the timings at or why its so wack!
ive timed our cars hunderds of times and know what im doing, but this has me stooped!
any ideas? like i say, ive checked and re-checked that evrything is DEAD ON, but 12* is not where it should be and the car wont start if its set there.
what could be off? NOTHING HAS SKIPPED A TOOTH and the phisical timing is PERFECT. ????????

[macncheese]

Not tryint to question your timing skills, but did you pull the intermediate shaft sprocket to check it's alignment? if the distributer needs to be turned farther than before, something slipped in there. Maybe the sprocket or I've seen the gear that turns the distributer and the oil pump get chewed up, too. I'd pull the distributer because it's easier, but make sure nothing is loose on it first, and then check that int shaft. Hopefully, someone else will think of something easier.

[detobias]

I used to think that the int. shaft timing didnt matter, cuz if it was off I could just spin the distributor some extra to make up for it

BUT that "technique" will throw off the HEP signal for "TDC #1" which may throw off the fuel injector pulse timing...

double check your int. shaft timing ; as U know - dizzy should be pretty close to parallel ; sounds like yur one tooth off

not saying that will solve the problem

[jim34]

It does not matter where the distributer is pointing as long as the timing can be set your good, slap a spare hep in and see what happens

[turbo minivan]

you guys were right. looking at the gash under the distributer it looked parellel, but the timing was out on the distributer and it wouldnt start i had to turn it so much to get 12*. so i turned the intermediate shaft 1 tooth to make sure that the front edge of the distributer could be parelell when at 12* and everyhting was fine. dont know what was up with that, ive timed this motor 100 times, but i guess you find/learn somthing new every day. i wonder how long its been off? it must have skipped the tooth last week at the track. ?? fixed now though. thanks guys.