Mitsubishi Repair: 1999 mitsubishi mirage 1.5 no throttle response, mass air sensor, crank angle sensor

Question
I bought this car not running and the previous owner said that a friend buick mechanic changed the timing belt and it hasn't run since.  I bought the car and checked compression and my mechanics at the Volvo dealer that I work for said that the compression didn't look right so we pulled the head sent it off to be checked and installed new valve stem seals.  Reinstalled and set timing---NO CHANGE!  Compression is ok now, but still will just barely idle but no throttle response at all.  I took it to the local Mitsu dealer and paid to have it diagnosed.  They said that the timing wasn't advancing or retarding automatically as it should.  They recommended changing the distributor.  I did that---NO CHANGE!  They recommended changing the ECM and I did---NO CHANGE!  No check engine light and runs fairly smooth at idle but will not change at all when throttle is pressed.  I can put in first gear and car will move slowly around the lot. Any ideas what to do.  I bought this car to fix up to drive to work for a cheap beater and it's no so cheap any more. PLease help

Answer
Chris,
There may be a problem with the throttle position sensor (TPS) or the crank angle sensor (CAS).  If the TPS were faulty, your throttle response would be poor and you would experience the issue you're describing. If the CAS was bad, the timing would not be able to advance or retard properly, which in turn can cause the same issue.  But typically, if either of those sensors were bad, your check engine light would come on, and you're indicated that it's not.  One shot in the dark is that your check engine light has a problem and it's it's just not illuminating.  But that is very far fetched.

You can have your mechanic inspect your mass air sensor (MAS), idle speed controller (ISC), and throttle body.  the MAS would typically cause your check engine light to come on if there was a problem, but it's still worth examining.  The ISC and throttle body can have problems and cause your issue, and neither are tied directly into the ECM, so if they went bad, your light won't come on.  Plus, these items can cause poor throttle response if malfunctioning.  Unfortunately, they are not cheap to replace.
Good luck!