1996 7.4 mpi TIMING question
 

i see in the manuel that the timing has to be set a 8degrees before top dead center so i set it to that but the motor idles at 800 rpm and i wnat it to idle at 650 like the book says but their is no more adjustment in the linkage , but if i set the timing to 4 degrees before top dead center it will idle at 650 and runs good , is this acceptable or will it hurt the motor, thanks james

Did you put the ecm into base timing mode???? You will lose power setting it at 4* and cause higher EGT's.
Maybe your tach is off??? It really does not matter if it idles at 800rpms in nuetral. It doesn't hurt anything. It probably drops to 650-700rpms in gear anyway.