Wanna do my timing... i was reading the manual and it says to do it properly i need to put the car into test mode? But i have just a basic timing light, can i still do it? If so, what do i set the factory timing to? Book says 30deg?

Yes to put the ecu into that mode you have to bridge the top and bottom left pins on the connector under the fuse panel.

The manual will explain the rest.

Timing should be set to 28 deg , factory they are set to 30 / 32, but if you have no ecu tune than run it @ 28 deg.

Timing light will be fine.

Brad

but does it need to be put into that mode to do the timing? can i do it the old way?

If you want to use a timing light, you will need to put in that timing mode by bridging those terminals mentioned. I recently put a cam in my V8 and I did what you asked, that is, doing it the old fashioned way in small increments until it started to ping and then I backed it off a bit.

Just make a small wire with alligator clips on either end and do it in test mode. Be aware that the ECU will stop this mode after 2 minutes.