BitchinRS

About a week and a half after setting the timing to 10* BTDC I have been getting a wierd vibe in the car. Some times when I go from secound to third gear and third to fourth my car acts like it is droping a cylinder. Some times it will happen in 5th gear also. If I mash the pedal or wait a couple of moments it will clear and then I have a sudden power surge.

The SES light is not coming on. I have replaced the wires, cap and rotor, cleaned and regaped the plugs.

I did a quick home test to see if it was the ignition modle acting up when it gets hot, but it apears to be ok.

With the high milage on my engine should I set my timing to 11* or 12* BTDC? The idle is kinda roughm, but it has all ways been that way no matter what I have done to help it.

Any clues????

---

1992 Camaro RS 3.1L
5 speed trany.
177,000 or so miles

BitchinRS

Here are a few things I have been thinking may be the cause. Your opions are welcomed and encourged!

1.) moisture or glazing on the clutch. (the clutch is only a little over a year old)

2.) I have a leaking left rear wheel cylinder and the ruber line is dimpled from a harsh impact. Mabye it is locking up every so often.

3.) Low trany or rear end fluid. All though I don't what the symptoms of that is, but it hasn't been checked in a while.

4.) pick-up coil and pick-up pole pice are shot cuasing an intermittent hesitation.


Some times it apears that the problem has gone away or is getting less, but then a day or two latter there it is again.

It also "feels" like the problem is not with in the engine, but in the drive line somw ware. It's all most like the engine is be slowed down when this happens.

Could this be a fuel pump or fuel pump regulator going out?

Camaro_hunter_d

This is why I stated that the 60* likes 12-13 Deg better. Mine did that when it was set to 10*. Switched to 12-13 went away.

BitchinRS

Sence the millage is so high on my car and the timing chain hasn't been changed I'm going to set the timing to 12* this weekend and see if it helps.

I had a succesfull repair of the distributor o-ring and passed my smog check then the car started acting up. This car loves to build me up then break my hart! well at lest it waited 'till after the smog test! I will also be replacing the wheel cylinder this weekend. The pull to the left when i brake has goten anoying.

KED85

Loosen distributor bolt. Twist distributor to the firewall and it will stop.
Drive car & you'll be amazed.
MINE WAS SO FAST after I twisted the distributor to the firewall.
Your chain is shot.
Test.
Bolt onto the balancer (17mm).
Distributor Cap off.
Hand twist engine by ratchet.
Look how long it takes to move rotor. IF over an inch movement at the crank, chain is history.
IF YA WANNA
Northern Auto Parts (800-831-0884) $50-ish for
Chain, new water pump & gaskets, delivered.
AND when your engine "dies" and you want to buy that 3.4, all the "new stuff" swaps over to the used running 3.4. As long as the "Old" chain is about under 20K miles, swap it to the 3.4 block.
My "new" chain (installed on the blown 2.8) was about 5K miles.
This is what I mean, when ever you replace old worn stuff on your 2.8/3.1, you can reuse it on the 3.4 & save some $$.

BitchinRS

Karl,

I suspect that I will also need to replace the crank gear, cam gear, chain idler, and chain dampner a long with the chain. Maybe even the harmonic balancer. The water pump in not that old. it was accualy replaced by the previous owner. It was the only repair the car forced him to do.

When i get my money flow back up to normal I want to get a hold of 3.4 block to have on hand for when the 3,1 decides it has had enough. ware did you get yours from? I wanted to get a low milage as I can get for under 1K sence it drives such a long distance and I don't want to have to replace it again in 1 year. This is one of the reasons why i have stayed with bolt on upgardes. I want to wait for the 3.4 to be in before I do things like a cam shaft upgrade. No need to waste money on stuff I wont be able to use with the 3.4!

Can those 3.4's be stroked 3.8? If they can that would be sweat!!!


Oh, and should I rotate the distributor all the way to the firewall, or just in that direction? All the way seems a little drastic.

KED85

FOR ME, the car idled real smooth upn contacting the firewall.
When it's running & ya twist the distb, you'll hear engine smooth out.
3.4
Down in LA
So Cal Auto Wrecking
Marty
323-587-3144
I paid $800 for my 40K motor.
He can get all ya want.
And can deliver, but, you're close to spend the drive for the fun
When ya come down have your core with ya, too.
ANY 2.8 will do!
Read my swap thread for many answers/suggestions.

BitchinRS

Well I checked the timing, and timing chain paly (my chain is shot). It must have moved to 7* BTDC before I was able to get the proper wrench from my Bro. I reset it to 10*BTDC. Still hada bad miss so I changed it to 13* BTDC. Still have a small miss, but better then before. Gave it a test run. No good still droping a cylinder. Got pissed and called the car many faul names. Decided to stop at the parts store and pick up new plugs. Installed new plugs took it on 20 mile test run and bingo I'm running on all cylinders again. My #3 plug was coated in a white ash. I mean completly! The black electrode was also white. Do anyone what this is a symptom of? It was a pure white, not grayish. I had thought the plugs were good. After my smog test I pull them and cleaned them then regapped them. There was plenty of electrode left on them.

I ran a quick compresion check on cylinder 3 and 6. Both are on diferent heads. they are getting the same compresion. So I don't think it is a blown ring or head gasket.

I can't belive that my car passed smog with burnt wires, and bad plugs!

Man i was busy all day to day working on cars!! I had to rescue my Mom's car. it over heated becuase she left the water resivor cap off and it ejected all the water (30 mile trip). Set the timing on my car, replaced plugs. Set timing on my G/F's dad's '88 Cadliac DeVille, and cleaned his EGR valve (it was sticking). in between missions I managed to baby sit my brothers kids for an hour, and get dinner ready ( I picked up a new deep fryer :lala: ). Ok I'm done venting.

KED85

I had the Flu for two days. First my Son, then my Wife & I same time.
Fianlly got over the flu & I moved stuff from storge into the garage. Pooped.
Sounds like time for a chain job.
Glad it's running better.
When the chain is shot, just twist it forward. Works great. Great free bandaid approach!