Looking for ideas about my IROC. It's an '87, 305, TPI, auto, 200k miles. I just baught it a few months ago for dirt and I mean dirt cheap. It wasn't running and it had several electrical problems that I've had to figure out (tail lights, fog lights, gauges, fans and radio). I borrowed a ditributor today from a friend because I realized mine had the pick up connectors broken where it plugs into the module. The car finally fired but to make it run my partner had to advance the distributor drastically. I had to keep my foot on the gas for a while before it would idle on its own. After I shut it off it would not run again. If you have an idea on what's going on feel free to throw it out there.

 

Jumped timing chain is the first thing that comes to mind.

Thinking about this a bit more, the timing chain is the second thing that comes to mind.

The first thing is that you installed the distributor a few teeth off.

 

The timing chain was what I was thinking. I've stabbed and restabbed the distributor and I'm pretty sure it's where it's supposed to be (took the valve cover off and waited untill both rocker arms were loose and then I put the timing mark where it was supposed to be). I guess electronics isn't the best place for this htread if that's the case.

 

Pull the valve cover off #1 cylinder bank. Rotate the crank until #1 is at TDC on compression. Where is the timing mark at? This should verify if it's a jumped chain.