I was lately having a problem with backfiring. I now know what it is. I replaced my points ignition with a my old computer controlled distributor. I know i have no advance, but will this hurt my engine.

Oh one other thing i had a little coolant go into the engine while changing to new carb/intake and before my oil pressure gauge would read dead, and only when hot would it come back to life and try to read lower(flickering). Now as soon as im ideling it comes to life, this scares me. could colant actually do that. I will change it tomorow but i driven all day like this.

On a good note, thanks to everyone earlier for helping me out. And damn if this is what the car feels without advance on the distributor. I was at a stop today testing my newly installed carb and i floored it(no powerbraking). Before with tbi the car would lose grip and get it back at around 1600rpms(posi/3.42). now i dont know why, when i floored it from a stop it spinned its tires almost all of bloody first gear all the way up to 4000 rpms,got grip and when it went to second it went a little sideways.(the tires are only 3 months old) damn impressive. I almost cryied out of joy(seriously). i didnt expect it to do that out of just a damn carb and intake swap, did i get a tennage mutant ninja turtle 305?! I love carburetors!! by the way where is the oil sending unit on ex tbi cars?? i looked for where it should be next to the distributor behind the manifold and all i could find where the canister should be was a little tiny plug closing off he hole??!!!

Anyways thanks for your help. Damn that carb feels brutal!!!!

 

It sounds like there's a connection problem with your oil sending unit or oil gauge. If the motor hasn't seized up yet, I think things are O.K. inside.

The only thing that will hurt from a no-advance ECM distributor is your wallet. The motor will guzzle gas until you can get a real mechanical/vacuum advance HEI.

The lack of advance will make the motor run hot, but I doubt you'll notice until spring or summer when there's no more cold air to keep the motor from overheating.

 

I ran around for about a month without timing advance. It didn't run hot it ran a little cooler actually. Advacning the timing usually makes it run hot and the retarding of not having advance will lower cylinder pressures which will create less heat.

My guess is the wires to the sender were loose and you bumped them back on.

If you open up your oil fill cap there is probably condensation on it (will be white). If you change your oil routinely you can remove it otherwise it will eventually be sucked out via the PCV valve.



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1984 WS6 Trans Am Hartop
Former L69 Car under restoration
1984 WS6 Trans Am T-top car
4-bolt main 350, headers, Holley 650, T-5 and 3.23's.
Daily driver and restoration

 

If you dumped coolant into the oil you should change it. No, it won't hurt the engine immediately, but you should not drive around like that for weeks. Also, little bits of the old gaskets that you scraped off the heads and end seals, etc, etc. You get the idea. Oil change sooner rather than later.

I wouldn't trust a 3rd gen FBody oil pressure guage as far as I could throw it. Mine used to read lower and lower as the engine got hotter, showing as low as 5 PSI at idle sometimes. I hooked up a nechanical guage and got the truth- 25 PSI idling, 60 PSI revved up (V6 motor). I replaced the sender and it read a LITTLE more accurately but never quite right.

Just wait till you get some spark advance! There's an article on this website about setting up the GM HEI distributor for performance that might be worth a quick read (or two) since that is likely the distributor you will be using in the future (wiring hooks right up to the stock wiring harness, minus the computer control stuff).


[This message has been edited by Damon (edited December 21, 2000).]