The timing should 12 degrees before TDC on idle with the vacume pipe blocked off. I'd start from there and get your fuelling checked. When I did my conversion I blew the engine due to poor fuelling. Which had brand new pistons in. Expensive mistake.

This link is a good way to get it running something like to get it to a garage to set the mixtures set up properly.

http://www.escortrsturbo.co.uk/commu...showtopic=2429

Hope this helps

Cheers
Dave