sr20det timing issue(AGAIN)

[2.0-TURBOcoupe]

ok so recently i decided to retime my sr. i followed the FSM VERBATIM! removed valve cover, removed CAS, set motor to TDC( first mark on the left side of the crank pulley). the dark grey timing links were lined up. i dont even think that the chain has ever been removed since the motor was assembled. anywho...lined up the mating marks on the CAS and stabbed it in and it lined up. so i tightened it back down and tried to start the car.
ok. the car was kind of hard to start up at first, but when i managed to get it started it "loped" up and down.
hooked up my trusty dusty timing gun just to see what the timing was set at and at operating temp it was almost 20 degrees BTDC. so i shut off the car and unplugged the TPS and started her back up*****HERES MY REAL QUESTION*** How exactly can you tell when the car enters "timing Mode"?
is it supposed to exhibit some tell-tale sign thats says "hey im in timing mode"?
i think this could be where i am going wrong but i timed it and got it as close to 15 BTDC as i could. its almost seems like the marks on the timing gun are rolling around.
after everything was installed i drove the car around and i noticed that its not really pulling a good vacuum at idle and there is a slight hesitation around Mid-Range RPM. new plugs, good gas, good fuel pressure. im clueless. if anyone has anything helpful please let me know!

[clark]

i recently went through the timing fiasco, i have an S13 sr20det.

you're on the right track. get your engine warmed up. shut engine off. unplug tps. turn engine back on. rev the engine to ~3000 rpm 3 times to "lock" the timing. now is when you connect your timing light.

DO NOT connect it into that loop behind the VC even though this is what the FSM says, that fucking thing doesn't work and is not accurate.

(this is out of order lol, but make sure you do this first)
i had a spare KA lying around and took one of the spark plug wires, connected it to #1 spark plug, then shoved the other end into my coil pack. connect your timing gun pickup to the spark plug wire, THIS WILL GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE READING, not that stuipd loop behind the VC. timed my beast a tad over 15°.

after that i haven't had a problem since and the engine runs great. it also fixed the problem where i would have to crank the engine twice to startup.

i also experienced similar symtpoms where at mid-rpms the thing just had 0 power and was misfiring. this is how i learned that the stupid timing loop behind the valve cover sucks