A few weeks ago I picked up an 87 TA with an all original carbed 305. I pulled the smog equipment and ac equipment...car still ran fine. then yesterday I ran a new fuel line from the fuel pump to the carb with an inline fuel filter, and I removed the filter in the carb...car was running a little rough, but nothing that was worrying me....then I headed off to work...about 10 minutes into the drive the car started sounding like CRAP. I parked at work and shut the car off and it dieseled for about 7-10 seconds! after work the car did not want to start at all...it jsut cranked. finally got her started and she ran even worse...couldn't even keep her running. when I was going down the high way the trans kicked into overdrive and the engine would stall...so this morning I decided to start by checking the basics. visually everything was good. I checked the fuel, also good. I finally got it started and checked the timing, some how it was almost 4 degrees advanced too far...don't know how it happened...I put it back where it was supposed to be...still ran like ****. I had to advance it 8 degrees before it would run steady and not knock. The timing mark isn't even on the indicator anymore....and I can't get it to idle below 1200 RPM....anyone have any kinda clue what happened

 

Do you have the flat 4-wire connector from the distributor base to the firewall harness disconnected when you check the timing?

 

no. didn't know I had to. I hate these cc distributors. I'll do that and check it all out. But I still don't understand how it would've gotten off in the first place...

 

Well, with the old-school system, you had to disconnect and plug the vacuum advance line before you set the timing. What's the difference?

I've found mine to be rock steady between checks. What it appears to be while the computer is adjusting is irrelevant.

 

I knew that on the older distributors I need to unplug the vaccum advance and such. I've checked and adjusted timing on vaccum advance dists many times. this is my first on a newer dist. I figured it was the ECM doing something...I just went outside to start her up...nothing....lol. the battery died somehow...nothing was even on and the alt is brand new.

 

had the battery load tested and everything at autozone...it was fine....can't explain it...but I brought the battery back, tossed it in the car and nothing happened again. So I opened the hood and pulled out the sockets so I could take the starter off and inpect it....but I tried it one last time and she fired up. still running bad...but she fired. I'm going to put a new fuel filter in to replace the see through mr gasket one that I have in there now. I'm told it's really restrictive....maybe lack of fuel has something to do with it.

EDIT: Just took the car to buddies shop and tossed it on the diagnostics computer. turns out that the carb is dumping a lot more fuel then it should be, so the computer is trying to adjust the timing to compensate...*sigh.* I'm just gonna pull the engine and put in a non computer controlled 305 I've already got built.