setting timing (cam sync) on 87 318 truck?

A friend of mine has replaced a long block in his 87 318. Now he needs to set the cam sync, distributor location, timing? I cant seem to find any info on it. He's in Georgia, I'm in Michigan. Anybody know how to do it?
Thanks Doug

Doesn't an '87 still have an electronic ignition distributor? And adjustable timing?
In the repair manual for my old '00 Durango you align the rotor with the #1 cylinder notch in the cam sensor plate with the crank at TDC.


Tim

There is no vacuum advance. Its my belief there are no advance weights either. ECU controls the timing. The timing marks are way off according to the owner. It wont even run if the timing marks are anywhere near zero. My bet is that the ECU needs to be set or tricked into base time mode. Since I don't have a 87 manual not sure what the procedure is.
Doug

Iirc, unplug the coolant temperature sensor. The 2 wire one for the computer, not the single wire for the gauge.

Also, is he sure the balancer hasn't slipped?

Distributor, oil pump drive installed correctly?

Matching balancer and timing cover?

Can't confirm the balancer hasn't slipped as truck is 900 miles from me. We did discuss that as a possibility. Its a reman long block. Still using the OE balancer and timing cover. I'll let him know about the coolant sensor procedure.
Doug

I used Google to find a bunch of information, pictures and video on how to set my 1999 5.9 Magnum cam sync for initial fire up. After I got it up and running, I used a borrowed Matco Tools scanner to verify the setting, which was almost dead on, but needed some fine tuning. A lot of guys have to go to someone with an expensive scanner to have there's checked, which usually means the dealer. These things are a few decades old now, so a lot of places have no idea how to do it anymore.

You don't have a cam sync with a TBI engine only the magnums. You set the initial distributor location the same as you would a carb engine then after it is running and up to operating temp you disconnect the coolant temp sensor. That sets the computer in limp mode. Set your base timing there. Reconnect the coolant temp sensor and cycle the ignition key. It will probably set a code but may not turn on the MIL if you only do it once. Clear the code and you should be good to go.
When you set the base timing what you are doing is setting the maximum advance the engine will ever get. The computer retards the timing event controlling the amount of advance.