Slowridr

iTrader: (1)

Had a mobile mechanic repalce my intake gasket. He forgot to tighten down piece that holds the distributer in place so it just moves by hand now. Im sure the timing is off because one day my car was running funny and figured maybe some wires were loose so as I was checking them I noticed the distibuter was loose. I moved it and bam the car crank right up.

Where and how is the proper place to set this?

I dont know if it makes any difference but I was reading another thread and noticed some folks arguing about whether to set by putting the car in service mode via paper clip in ALDL

or

disconnect the ECM ground at the firewall. I think on some years the sticker under the hood says to do one thing and on others the service manual walks you thru it. My car hs an 88 L98 but originally had LB9 from 1987, the car is a 1987. I believe if I follow their argument correctly that 82-87 has stickers on the hood to follow which means Ill take of the ground for ECM and 88-92 says put the car in service mode with paperclip. Look at my delima........ I have 88 engine in 87 car.

HELP!!!

wyochimneysweep

iTrader: (1)

paper clip the aldl pins a and b do this all the time

Slowridr

iTrader: (1)

What do I do next? Is there a step by step on here?

John 89 Formula

No need to ground the aldl. Disconnect the est bypass, a brown wire with a weather pac connector on it, it comes out of the main harness where the ac box is.
Clip your pickup on to the number 1 spark plug wire, start the engine and turn the dist untill the timing mark lines up with 6 degrees before 0. you might want to clean the timing tang and mark the 6 before hand so you can see it.

Hutts

I agree your right on how to set timming, just wondered why my 89 lb9 runs great when set at 0 or 2 but pings like crazy when set at 6 thanks

vetteoz

iTrader: (13)

Need to have engine warmed up first or it will stall when EST disconnected.
DON'T forget to reconnect connector after setting the timing or you will have no spark advance

Slowridr

iTrader: (1)

Beautiful I will do it today. Let you know how it goes.

ManyThanks

Slowridr

iTrader: (1)

Finally got around to doing this. Found the sticker under the hood. I have a Pontiac serivce manual for this car and looked for about 30 minutes trying to confirm this procedure.

Saw the V-6 procedure but no V-8. Finally saw their directions to read and follow the procedure outlined by the sticker under the hood. The sticker said just what you say........ disconnect the ESC clip the #1 plug set the timing at 6. Did that (and boy was it off!) Car runs like a champ. This time the distributer got tightend down like it was suppose to.

Thanks Again fellows

p8dnful

Ok... So I got the engine running again... The gave me a knock sensor for a 350 instead of a 305. After changing MAP sensor, External Coil, Cap & Rotor, Spark Plugs, Ignition Module, and Fuel Filter, still have no luck on what causes the timing to advance after setting initial timing at 6*. The odd part is that sometimes it'll advance the timing and sometimes it'll retard the timing.... I'm stumped on why the random adjustments. I followed the instructions from the Chilton's Manual on the Timing adjustment procedure but still NO Luck... I grounded the ALDL, disconnected the EST, and set the timing. It ran good for about a mile then advanced and ran like crap. Again I grounded the ALDL, disconnected the EST, and set the timing. It ran good for about a mile then it retarded itself. I then disconnected the EST but left the ALDL alone and set the timing and it still seemed to do either advance or retard. Any Suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

Slowridr

iTrader: (1)

I have no knowledge that I think would be helpful to you but I will tell you this. My timing advanced as well after I set everything and pluged the EST back up. I guess thats normal to a certain degree.

Let me throw this out...... What if you set the timing a little low with the EST disconnected and then plug it back in and maybe when the car advances the timing it will be in the sweet spot.

Dont know if that will work just throwing that out.

Also did you confirm that you are unplugging the EST not the ECM. The EST is the tan wire w/ black stripe on it. It breaks off from the main harness that goes to the ECM over in the passenger corner of the engine bay by the airconditioner stuff.

Sorry just read your post again again and saw you did the EST not the ECM.

p8dnful

When you unplug the EST is it supposed to unplug the Tach also.... When I unplug the EST the Tach on the dash stops wroking.... I think this is the EST in the pics

Slowridr

iTrader: (1)

Noticed your car is a 1990. I am unsure if the harness is different for a 90. The sticker undr the hood of my car tells me the EST is a tan wire with a black strip. My connector is called a weather pack and its roundish not squarish like what you have pictured there. Also my EST comes off of the large (the biggest conduit packet in the car) conduit next to what the wire you pictured comes out of. Hope that makes since. I think you may be unplugging something else.

I didnt think to look at my tach when pulling that. The only thing I noticed was my Service Engine Soon was on and as soon as I plugged back up it went off.

John 89 Formula

That connector is NOT the est, the est conn comes out of the wire loom near the a/c blower motor.

p8dnful

Yeah I found out that wasnt the right connector before I'm came back to this posting today. I found the real EST connector and did the procedure again. When the EST is plug back in the Service Engine Soon Light doesnt go off til the battery is disconnected. All the other post I've read all indicated that as soon as the EST connector was plugged back in, The Service Engine Soon Light disappeared..... Which lead me to the conclusion that something is still possibly wrong. Also the timing still advances and has a rough idle, which I think is from the Advancement. As of right now with the EST connected the timing light hits 12* TDC. With the EST disconnected it's at 6* TDC like the specs called for. The rough idle and 12* TDC has me stumped on what's going.

John 89 Formula

It's normal for the timing to fluctuate a little with the est connected the computer is making adjustments

Slowridr

iTrader: (1)

I wish I could help more but thats the extent of my knowledge on this. Hopefully some others can chime in.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

Make sure the knock sensor is connected or buy a new knock sensor so that the ECM can retard the ignition to reduce knock.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

Yup. EST disconnected will give you on the mark timing. When you reconnect the EST, the ECM and ESC Module takes over. The timing will be off 6* but the ECM takes over according to engine load and such.

JakeJr

Don't forget to disconnect the battery for 30 seconds or so after the base timing has been set and the EST connector has been re-connected. Doing that clears the stored code that gets set when the ECM detects the engine running with the connector disconnected.

Jake

My son, Ryan M. Cameron, graduated from West Point on 22 May 2010! He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and I pinned on his first pair of "Butter Bars" PROUDEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

.. If you dont disconnect after setting the timing, you will get a troublecode 42 (from experience). Give your son my congrats. He is a the very bottom of the Commisioned Officer rank structure but hey, now he gets the respect that he deserves, I salute your son.

US ARMY veteran 2000-2004, E-4 SPC Banuelos . 68th CSB HHD Unit Ft Carson CO.

pedrojgomez

did you ever found the problem