What's the function? I mean, as it goes through its motions, what's happening? Is the tip suppose to move in and out? If so, is this activated by temp, or instantly by 12v? Does this piece require ground to work? I ask because, laying across the t-body and switching on key, nothing happens and I can't manually move the pointed tip. Educate me

Yes the tip moves in and out to vary the amount of air that goes in the motor for it to idle properly. Pull it out and make sure the tip is clean as well as the hole it goes in. To test it you will need a multimeter to check resistance across the terminals. I don't have the specs in front of me, but can probably look them up in my manual if you don't have one. You don't want to plug it in and have it extend out when it is not in the throttle body. If you do and then try to screw it back in it will damage the tip trying to force it in there.

Should I be able to push the tip in /out or screw it in / out ? It seems to be frozen and I wonder if this means its locked up or that it must be powered to actuate ?
How do I test it ? - I don't have a manual

Got to wondering why there was no burning marks on # 7 plug; so pulled plug and checked compression - NONE !?!?! What the H?!??? Bout time to set the s.o.b. on fire.

Valves are adjusted - rocker arms going through motions.

Any explanations ?

U think if u do something enough times, u may have a idea on how to do it right. With no compresion showing on #7, I'm about ready to pull manifold / head and see a busted ring after pulling piston; but first just for kicks, I backed off the valves and boom, I've got air blowing and sucking through the plug hole. So after all the valve adjusting, I still managed to not get it right. Apparently, if the valves are over adjusted, u get no compression; who'd a thunk it.

Re-adjusting and will report

Just a tip on the valve adjustment. A quarter turn past snug will set any 350, 305,or 327 to get it running. Then you can get minor detail adjustment from there. Yes you can easily overtighten, you didn't build a sprint car motor.

Got timing set to 8-10 initial degrees ( @ idle) , and valves are adjusted so that motor will idle on its own although idle is a little ruff. Aside from the ruff idle, I'm getting some backfiring through the mullers when I mat the gas and am hopiing this is due to too much air or what the computer is reading as a vaccum leak since I've yet to put valve covers back on along with air filter and vaccum hoses from covers to throttle body.

Does this sound right to u guys, that not having the whole top end buttoned up will cause a ruff idle and some muffler backfiring ?

It should be ok, plus I'm betting you'll probably ser your timing a little closer to 4° once you button it all up and warm it up.