Okay, after installing the 350 in the 88 RS, I have finally got it running quite well. However, once it warms up real good it wants to stall while in gear. When I come to a stop sign, it will stall out. That seems to be the only problem, it runs out real well, but once it warms up it just will not idle in gear, unless I turn the idle speed up to about a 1000 rpms while in gear, and that is way to high.

It is a TBI.
I did put in a 350 knock sensor and 350 injectors. I replaced the gasket under the throttle body. Perhaps I have a vacum line hooked up backwards, or plugged that shouldn't be.


Any suggestions before I give in and finally take it to a shop?

Kevin

 

Okay, Last night I modified my air cleaner so the MAF could be threaded in the aftermarket cleaner.
No more error code 23. I though this would clear up my idle/stalling problem while warm, but it didn't. Then it started throwing a error code32. EGR. I nspected the egr and found it completely clogged, the hose and vacum port on the TBI was also clogged completely. I removed the tbi and cleaned it, the hose and egr valve very good. I re-installed everything, thought this would take of the idle/stalling in gear problem but no, it still persists. Any suggestions as to what this can be????? Please?

 

Make sure the EGR is actually closed at idle. If its stuck open, itll cause stalling and poor performance at low engine speeds.

After that, it may be an issue of not enough timing or incorrect fueling. The stock computers also have the idle set real low, which some engines dont like. Unfortunatly, these can only be adjusted by editing the calibration in the ECM. What type of 350 is this? Is it an L05, or something completly different?

 

I'll check the egr valve tonight when I get home. I have the egr vacum hoseran staight out of the front of the tbi over to the valve in the valve cover.

I already have turned up the idle speed with the screw on the tbi.

It's a 350 crate motor I bought in 2001 for my 1974 pick-up truck. I had to alongate the 4 inside intake bolt holes to make the 1988 tbi intake off the 305 fit the heads. So, it's not one of the newer desghned engines. I was scared I might have a vacum leak from diong that, but it doesn't leak so far. I will do the carb cleaner check all around the intake tonight as well just to make sure.

Man, other than the idle problem she runs superb. It's not a dead miss or anything.

 

Apparently, I had the timing too far advanced. I had it turned pretty far counter clockwise. I turned it back clockwise and it idled so much smoother in gear after warmed up. It seems to be a fine line though. If it is too far advanced, it will not idles worth a crap in gear, but will respond immediately to acceleration. If it is too far retarded it will idle smoothly, but accelerate sluggishly. And spit and hesitate when romped on.

I believe that over the last few years I ended up with he wrong timing cover on the motor. Are the timing teeth supposed to be at 12:00 or 2:00 if your looking at the harmonic balance wheel from the front? Mine is at aprox. 2:00. this is a 350 motor that was purchased to go in a 1974 pick up, but now sits in my 88 RS.

Another thing that is weird, is that when I first checked the timing with a timing light last night, the mark on the balance wheel was at about 10:00 o-clock. When I turned the distributor, clockwise to retard the timing, it moved closer to 12:00. That’s where it really idles good in gear, but accelerated sluggishly. It seems to run the best when the mark is about 11:00 o-clock.

Does that make sense, Shouldn’t it be the other away around though? Does it sound like I have my timing offset by a few teeth? But if that’s the case, why does it run so good?

Please excuse the newby questions, but I am rather inexperienced at the whole timing thing.

Any thoughts and suggestions will be much appreciated.

Kevin

 

No thoughts or suggestions?

 

okay

 

My thinking is that you need to pick up a 350 TBI ECM from the wrecking yard. From a 1987-1992 Fullsize Truck or van.

Part number 1227747

Broadcast codes

ASDU
AKAJ
ARHT
ASCU
etc

I would recomeend the 350 ECM, then set the fuel pressure to 14 psi by making the regulator adjustable (typically adding 1 washer or quarter to the regulator is 14 psi too). I would also recommend setting the timing to 6* BTDC with a timing light. That is the 2nd little point above the deepest V on the timing mark. The old style heads need more timing than the TBI setups do and more fuel. Finally I would recomeend drilling out the plug on the front driverside of the TBI unit and adjusting the minimum idle speed screw. I have detailed out the procedure several times. Let me know if you cannot find the proper procedure and I will detail it yet again.

 

Thank you for your suggestions. I will begin looking for the 350 ECM.