Nissan Repair: 87 Nissan Pulsar NX e16, troubles running/starting, nissan pulsar nx, distributer cap

Question
OK. This car has sat for 3 yrs due to bad fuel lines. I replaced all 3 fuel lines and the 2 back break lines. put new fuel in it since the tank was pretty much bone dry. Cleaned up the engine. New plugs. Fuel Filter, Plug wires. Distributer cap. Took the throttle body apart cleaned everything up all nice with carb cleaner. and no matter what i do it either has a hard time starting. or the car needs a little tap on the pedal. when it dose want to start it it runs decent in neutral. I try shifting into a gear and hit the gas its ok but once i let the clutch out. and there is torqe on the engine the car wants to die. It has no acceleration at all. unless you are in 1st gear. I can get it to a max of about 35mph and that is top speed maybe 3rd gear if im lucky. I don't want to push the car too hard just so i don't cause any damage. I was told that possibly the cat was plugged i unhooked the exhaust and now i just have the headers on the car. That got me to 40mph. but still had no acceleration power at all. I have a feeling the timing is off. I tried checking it. but i had no luck. I have the Haynes Manuel and it says there are a set of marks on the timing sprockets that is suppose to line up. well on the top sprocket (camshaft) there are 2 dots on the teeth spaced about 6 teeth apart.  and there is also and arrow notched out that looks exactly like this >   which is on the completely opposite side of the arrow.I really don't know which marking im suppose to line up with the marking on the cam. I set the 1st cylinder at TDC and looked at the markings on the cam sprocket and the circle notched out on the side of the teeth between the other circle and the arrow match up with the marking on the cam cover. if you could help solve my problem in anyway or give me your best guess on what is wrong with this engine i would greatly appreciate it. Oh and also with the sprocket on the crank there is only the 2 dots on the sides of the teeth. and those don't match up with the marking on the bottom of the engine with the 1st piston at TDC. there is no arrow that i could tell with the the sprocket on the crank. so i am having a heck of a time deciding if the timing is off.

Answer
Shayn,

I would almost bet the air meter is screwed and needs to be replaced.

On the timing I would rotate the engine over to top dead center and then look at the cam marks.  If they do not line up rotate the crank one turn and check again.  Remember that the cams run at half crank speed.