having engine/tranny trouble
 

I am having trouble keeping my '79 280 running. I'm pretty sure that it is a problem with my timing, but I don't know how to adjust it. The problem is, is that it sounds like it's missing when I try to start it and when it does start, it will proceed to idle very low. Also, on a completely different problem, why is it that I have to rev my car up to at least 2000 RPM before I can shift it out of neutral? When I try to shift into first at idle speed, it will lurch forward about a foot or two and die on the spot. It also seems to choke when I let out of the clutch. Any help is always appreciated a lot. Thanks in advance.

Sounds like part a and b are related. Get your timing set first then go from there... There are lots of things that can cause the problems but the system is fairly straight forward and pretty much any problem has been covered on this site and others...

The problems keeing the engine alive may indeed be related to timing being off. However the inability to shift does not seem to be something caused by timing. That seems more like an internal tranny problem. I know when I was having problems my syncronizers from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd were toast. Shifting anything over 2k rpm would cause gears to grind without waiting with clutch pushed in for several seconds or double clutching. But from wht I've notice the 79 has many problems after so many years. I have a problem right now that no one seems to be able to figure out though I believe it is due to it only acting up under power with things I can't check while driving. Well not without much more expensive tools.

What happens when you double clutch it?

when i double clutched i wouldn't get any grinding. at first i thought it was do to the extra time to spool down but after doing it so often it didn't matter how fast i double clutched it wouldn't grind. I changed out the syncros and everything was smooth

Yup - if you double clutch and it doesn't grind then it's the syncros.

Well with my 79 the clutch was not dis engageing turns out had half a clutch disc and my throw out bearing was through the teeth on the pressure plate. Ground every gear unless you did fancy gas pedal danceing to shift. Does it shudder nasty when you come to a stop with clutch in? Did you try adjusting idle screw??