Engine barely starts and backfires. Acts like it's out of time,but its a 4 cyl 2.2ltr engine and not sure if I need to set Timing or how to. Just put new head gasket on and fuel is filling up 1 cylinder wall.

I would check the timing could have jumped a tooth on the timing belt/chain. Also check the rotor in the distributer make sure that it is not worn out. I have also seen a plugged catletic converter cause big time power loss and really strange problems

did you have the heads milled or just throw a set of gaskets on it?You did put new spark plugs in it rite?

Sounds like the points or condenser. If you open the distributor and crank the engine you should see the points opening and closing. The gap when fully open should be about 12th inch. If there is no gap you can try opening them, but if they are too burnt then you need to replace them. To do the job properly you need to set the gap as specified in the manual and if you have moved the distributor you will need to set the ignition timing.

make sure you have the engine in time here is the timming belt marks to make sure you have them correct,

IGNITION TIMING IS 13 - 17 DEGREES BTDC AT 650 - 750 RPMS. YOU NEED A TIMING LIGHT.TO SET TIMING FIRST CHECK FOR ANY TROUBLES.MAKE SURE YOU HAVE NO CODES. NOW TO SET TIMING.APPLY PARKING BRAKE AND BE SURE THAT THE CAR IS IN PARK.START AND RUN ENGINE UNTIL IT GET OPERATING TEMPERATURE.RUN THE ENGINE ABOUT 2000 RPM FOR 2 MINUTES UNDER NO LOAD,TURN OFF ALL ELECTRICAL LOADS, DISCONNECT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR,BE SURE THE ENGINE SPEED IS 700 - 800 RPM. REV THE ENGINE 2 OR 3 TIMES TO 2000 - 3000 RPM AND RETURN THE ENGINE TO IDLE SPEED.CONNECT A TIMING LIGHT TO THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER SPARK PLUG WIRE AT THE DISTRIBUTOR END AND CHECK THE IGNITION TIMING BE SURE THAT THE TIMING POINTER IS POINTING TO THE 15 BTDC MARK ON THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY,EACH NOTCH ON THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY REPRESENT 5 DEGREES. IF THE TIMING IS NOT WITH IN THE SPECIFICATION, LOOSEN THE DISTRIBUTOR MOUNTING BOLT AND ADJUST THE DISTRIBUTOR UNTIL THE TIMING IS AT PROPER SPECIFICATION. TIGHTEN THE DISTRIBUTOR MOUNTING BOLT TO 10 - 12 FT LBS,STOP THE ENGINE AND CONNECT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR.

take the head off bent valves thats for sure

fuel pump or fuel pressure regulator

I dont think that u have a timing probing but just to be sure I would recheck the timing, (remove timing belt cover, set crank to zero and make sure both cams line up with the marks on the engine) if thats all good the u have a prob with that particular cylinder. first thing I would do is swap the coil pack from cyl 3 with another cylinder (like cyl 1) then start the car if the misfire code goes from P0303 (Cyl 3) to P0301 (Cyl 1) then u know u have a bad coil pack. try that and let me know what happens

it sound like your timeing is out 180 drg. pull your disterder and trun 180 . make shore number one pistion is tds on the fire stroke. it allso like your ring are bad or your valve are not closeing all the way. good luck

If the belt has slipped you might be in trouble, becuase it's an interference engine.