car wont idle. just dies.. how do you set timing by yourself?

[Bill UK]

Don’t worry Kevin your nearly there mate, No offence Tbredd7 but I can't see how anyone could distinguish between rod knock with the engine misfiring as it is. Your probably blowing a lot of black smoke out the exhaust, which is unburnt fuel, completely normal when the timing is out. If you can get someone to keep the engine running whist you turn the CPS slightly in either direction you should be able to get it ticking over to check the timing with a strobe light, worth a try before checking anything else.