How do you set the timing 1988 suzuki 1.3?

Well, it's been many years since I had a Suzuki Samurai with 1.3 engine...best source for you is to find a HAYNES manual and follow through their instructions.

BUT, at a high level review, here's how I would approach it to at least get things to the point the engine would run, even if not at its top efficiency or smog rules setup: The "#1" cylinder is the one closest to the front of the engine. Follow it's spark plug wire back to the distributor, and remove the distributor cap. One end of the rotor will have a metal tab...you are close to the #1 firing position when the rotor metal tab approaches where the #1 cylinder spark plug wire connects to the distributor post.

Also remove the valve cover (just a couple or 4 bolts)so you can watch the #1 rocker panels for intake and exhaust to cyl #1.

Pull the #1 sparkplug so you can look in the hole or jently probe w/wood stick. (so you can see when the piston is at the actual absolute TOP (highest) DEAD CENTER position.

Put a ratchet on the crankshaft pulley (make sure your ignition key is off so you don't accidently start the engine), and crank it slowly clockwise while watching the two valves for #1 cylinder. You want the piston to be as top as possible, with BOTH valves closed (that is, no slack in them)...that is "top dead center", and at the same time the rotor from the distributor should be pointed toward the #1 cylinder spark plug connection. If the valves are not both tight, or the piston is not at 'top dead center', or the distributor rotor is not pointed toward the #1 spark plug wire, you aren't there, keep slowly rotating the engine in a clockwise position until you are at top dead center, with the distributor pointed toward #1 sparkplug wire, and both intake and exhaust values "tight". THAT is top dead center on your compression stroke!.

Once you have all those things going for you you have reached "top dead center" for cylinder #1. ISTR that timing should be around 10 degrees BEFORE top dead center, so back the crankshaft enough that you are now 10 degrees before top dead center. hook a wire up to the distributor spark plug wire, with the cap on and the ignition switch on, and slowly rotate the DISTRIBUTOR until the power is through to the #1 spark plug wire.

OK, you are now 'static timed' to about 10 degree before top dead center. Give the engine a try, see if it fires up. NOTE this is NOT as good as doing an official timing as described in the Haynes manual...but it should be close enough to get your engine into a running condition.

Note that the Samurai's and many other engines use a master computer control to auto adjust things. So sometimes you might be adjusting the timing to advance or retard it, yet the computer is also sensing when the timing is set, and making adjustments via the computer to alter the timing advanced or retarded from what it really is to what the computer wants it to be. So sometimes doing seat of the pants adjustments like this can be tough...the computer will "fight you".

The above procedures have worked for me on many different vehicles, but it is a backyard shade tree mechanic mechanism. (To show how much by the seat of the pants...I used to adjust my '72 Pontial LeMans w/350 cubic inch V-8 by getting it close...and then driving up a hill as fast as I could. If I didn't hear 'pinging', I would then advance the timing just a tiny bit and race up the same hill again. If I made it up faster, great, my timing was better! Eventually I heard pinging from the engine, indicating pre-ignition and possible engine damage if left like it was...so at that point I was advanced just a bit too much, would back off (retard) the ignition just a bit, and try racing up the same hill all over again. Eventually I would be able to get my fastest acceleration up the very steep hill, without hearing any pinging from the engine. When I got to that point, I was done timing the engine. Gee, was it 7 degrees BTDC, 10 degrees BTDC, other? I don't have the faintest idea...I just know the engine was performing the best it could and giving the quickest acceleration without any pinging. It worked for me...but probably would not pass any "smog inspections".

So use all of this advice with your own caution. While what I described should be able to get a completely off-timed vehicle close enough to run, you really need to get the Haynes manual and follow the real precise instructions on how to set the timing.

Good luck!