Ok, I had to take out the motor once again to fix the rear main seal. Other than the car leaking oil, it ran fine with the exception of a few misfires here and there.

Anywho, put everything back together and added a 2.5 testpipe. As soon as I crank it, the car backfires loud as BOOM, and then sputters at idle and then the rpms go up to 2k. I immediately get a cel (54) cam position sensor. I noticed the plug was a bit loose since the clip that holds it broke off. I turned it back on and wiggled it making it tight with my hand and the engine is still jerking like some damn muscle car, and then a puff of smoke came out from the timing belt area, around the thermo housing which really scared me. I haven't got the cel back, but that's because I'm too afraid to keep the engine on long enough for it to come on again.

I know the cam position sensor controls injector timing and so, but could it also cause this smoke coming out of my timing area?

SoCal DSM
1996 RS-T: Under Construction
1999 GS AE: New daily driver
"USING NO WAY AS A WAY, HAVING NO LIMITATION AS A LIMITATION"--BRUCE LEE

haven't heard of smoke out of that area, hmmm. So it's idling like the timing is off, or staying at 2K like there is a vacuum leak?

2gnt: '99 RS-T, killed by a toyota, pending rebuild...
Daily: Volt
Daily #2: '99 EVG ebike- STOLEN by PEDRO

When I first turn it on, the idle is rough fluctuating between 500 and 800, but after a few seconds the idle goes up to about 2k. I've checked everywhere for a vacuum leak, but I see/hear none.

When I pulled the motor out again, I re-did the timing to replace the tensioner, but I lined all the marks together. The smoke surprised me. It was like a quick puff of smoke that came out, and the engine jerks back and forth.

SoCal DSM
1996 RS-T: Under Construction
1999 GS AE: New daily driver
"USING NO WAY AS A WAY, HAVING NO LIMITATION AS A LIMITATION"--BRUCE LEE

ok, replaced the cam position sensor, and this car still idles like shit. Engine makes popping noises and jerks really REALLY bad. I checked my timing, and all marks are good. I don't know what the heck this could be. Before i took out the motor it was fine. All i changed was the rear main, redid the timing belt with new tensioner, and replaced the cat with a testpipe. wtf?

SoCal DSM
1996 RS-T: Under Construction
1999 GS AE: New daily driver
"USING NO WAY AS A WAY, HAVING NO LIMITATION AS A LIMITATION"--BRUCE LEE

Cams out of phase? (180 degrees off)

Go back over all your connectors and make sure everyything is plugged in

When i put the cam gears back on, the cam dowels were lined up correct as in exhaust up, intake down, cams went in, same way they came out.
I've looked over every connector and they're all plugged in the correct place. grrrrrrr!!!!

Jeebus, I'm finally leak free, and this shit happens. The only difference I noticed when i put in the new cam sensor, was the idle wasn't at 2k anymore.

SoCal DSM
1996 RS-T: Under Construction
1999 GS AE: New daily driver
"USING NO WAY AS A WAY, HAVING NO LIMITATION AS A LIMITATION"--BRUCE LEE

hmmmm, changed out the stock coil pack with the MSD i had taken out, and now the car idles fine, but now my rpm's are rising to 3k. Can't find a vacuum leak anywhere.

anywho, could a bad coil pack really have caused my engine to jerk soooooo much? seems too good to be true, that it was only that, oh well.

SoCal DSM
1996 RS-T: Under Construction
1999 GS AE: New daily driver
"USING NO WAY AS A WAY, HAVING NO LIMITATION AS A LIMITATION"--BRUCE LEE