3.1RS

i pulled my distributor.....and now my timing is WAY off. Like if the pully was a clock.....and where its supposed to be is 12...then where it actually is is like 3 or 4. The thing is tho that it still runs. It doesnt idle very well and dies but it runs ok at upper rpms. How could my car still run?

Aaron R.

How could my car still run?

Your timing is probably not as far off as you think. With the engine running, try adjusting it a little bit at a time until the engine is running smoothly.

nsimmons

buy a 10 dollar timing light and fix it

3.1RS

uhh ya thats where the mark is when i have the light on it....plus there like 40 bucks

Damien00677

If you don't want to get a timing light, call a friend and use theirs. For now though you could probably easily get it into decent running order by just turning and listening for the best idle.

Gumby

Just adjust it by ear and feel. turn it slow in both direction and get the engine to run the smoothest, tighten it down, rev the motor up a few times, if you happy go drive. If you not happy still. stop in a parking lot, re-adjust and do it again.

You can adjust timing with a vacuum gauge too. Not sure on the specs. But Buick guys time by vacuum.

TechSmurf

I'd honestly rather go door to door begging to borrow a timing light...

Damien00677

I agree, the by hear/feel method is one of those things that will be "good enough" until you can time it accurately.

by vacuum? You mean go till the vacuum is correct? I have never heard of that before. Better hope you don't have a leak if you do it that way :lala:

Gumby

I guess I am the old guy here.
Ya never power tuned a car???

one guy sits under the hood adjusting it, while the other power brakes it.

There are no set specs on an engine due to wear and what not, a set number is not always the best. Sure you can ball park it with a set number but unless your some racer rebuilding ever run. Realigning on a set number for a street car will not be the best peak timing.

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And duh, no car should have a vacuum leak for any reason. Especially if your vacuum tuning. but allot of Buick guys time by vacuum. To pull so much at a given RPM.

Gumby

"vacuum timing the Buick 350

Connect the vacuum gage to an intake vacuum port. I like to use the trans vacuum line at the rear of intake. Loosen dist. bolt to let you rotate the dist counterclockwise to advance timing. Start car and rotate dist until you get 17-19" on gage. Shut car off and tighten bolt. Take it for a test spin! Be prepared for big improvement.

If you encounter, hard "hot-starts" reduce timing to 15-17". "

Aaron R.

I vacuum time my engine. It's pretty easy, actually. Just attach a vacuum guage to the intake port (using a t-fitting so that underhood vacuum components continue to work), turn the distributer until you have the highest steady vacuum reading, then turn it until your vacuum is 1"-2" below that. If you try to run at highest vacuum it will run slightly lean, and maybe even stall out at idle occasionally. Also, engine type and condition dictates how much vacuum you will be pulling, so there is no one vacuum reading (17", 19", etc) that applies to all engines.

3.1RS

i think when i pulled my distributor......i put the splines back in wrong.... and thats why its so far off.

Damien00677

Hey, thats cool, I will try that vacuum testing once I get back home (could be a while)

Gumby: How does this power brake thing work? Seems like that would be hard on tranny and tires...maybe I miss the point

nsimmons

40 dollars? in what fantasy land. I paid 20 dollars for my dial back light. I paid 11 dollars for my cheapo one.