I recently took my car to a well known mechanic in my town. He told me that he fixed my timing for me, he said it's about a degree off (I assumed 1* BDC)? Anyways, it takes forever to start up, but when it does it idles nicely. But when I put it in drive or Reverse, it drops the rpms so badly it almost stalls (has stalled a few times). The brake pedal is hard as a rock and when I come to a stop, the rpms drop low again also (til it almost dies), and also the car barely stops where I want it to. What could be causing these problems? I was thinking maybe Fuel Pump Relay is causing hard start, but how could I know for sure?...could I get one out of a junkyard truck or car? I've heard that low vacume can cause stiff brake pedal. Several people have told me that my car sounds like the timing is off....it's been checked about 3 times w/timing gun (not by me). I'd appreciate any help and suggestions.

 

sounds simular to problems I had. The idle isn't surging at all is it?
IF it is it could be a different problem.

The car could be timed just fine, but it seem it's probably idling too low in the drive postion. you want it to be about 1000 in park because that tends to translate to the mid 700's in drive. That should probably fix the problem.

There is a small adjustment on the TBI that can be turned which changes the fuel being pumped in the engine. you may wanna play with that a little too.. You also may not.. That's completely up to you.

As for the car taking forever to start up... I can't really say why that is. Maybe the starter's on it's last legs?

 

I have pretty much the same problem. The car takes a little to start and idles fine in park, but when I shift to drive or the car warms up the idle drops to 500 rpms. If I start the car when it's really hot out and I've been driving it she starts right up then just dies, I thought it was my tps because I had a code 22 but I replaced that and it will still die and the idle is now lower than before (used to be about 600-800) but it doesn't get a SES light 'till the engine dies. What's up with this?

 

No, it doesn't surge at all. It idles at 1000 in park and about 700 in drive. But the transition from park to drive almost kills it. I was told by the previous owner that the starter had some work done to it (I'm assuming he meant it messed up so they beat on it a few times 'til it worked). I ran into a guy today who said it could be the Idle Air Control....what do ya'll think? How do I adjust it? Thanks.

 

I'll take a look in my book about the idle air control I'm not familiar with it, and I don't have the faintest of idea's as to why your car would almost die from the intial gear switch.

Darkhorse, check your timing and adjust the throttle body if you need to. Your RPM's are WAY to low.. optimally you want it around 700 for it to run pretty decent. For my car (I have a computer I plug in that reads RPM and stuff) 700 rpm ends up being about 1000 according to my tach. I'd just try to turn up the setting on the throttle body (which you have to take out a plug to do) but that probably will stop your problem.

 

where's the plug at to adjust the setting?

 

any help?

 

whoops I'm sorry.. I haven't been paying attention to my subscribed threads.. The plug is just a small circle on the front right side of your TBI.
Just pop it out (screwdriver) and there is an adjustment inside that can be turned.

Sorry about that.