I had huge problems with the transmission shifter cable, had to totally gut it trim it everything to make both ends fit. didn't have time nor money to get a GM one.

Anyway, started the car, it runs hmmm rough... and it sounds almost like I got exhaust sound coming from the engine compartment as well.


Drove around the block, had no power ... last straight away I was just rolling, no power.

Lotta smoke after a while, looks like engine is heating up or something, but smoke could also be from all engine parts being painted. Would engine paint give that smoke ?

I didn't paint the marker on the balancer white.. so maybe that's why but.. seems like I couldn't see even the line with the timing light hooked up ???

It was idling around 750-800 but O M G so rough.

Louder... rougher.. no power.



OK, please walk me through this one.

What could be causing all this ? Any chance the timing chain slipped a tooth ? Brand new chain, when installing it I made sure the lines/dots o nthe sprockets were lined up.

Could I have loose spark plugs ? Not tightened enough into the cylinder heads ?

 

I'm guessing that you just changed the cam? Just the timing chain?
Did you drive it after you put the chain in?
Not enuff info.........

Any-hoo sounds like the distributor is 180 deg OUT. Dots together is
#6 fire position.

 

Engine rebuilt ... well didn't change bearings nor rings, but everything cleaned out and brand new gaskets.

Nope didn't change the camshaft. Did however replace the timing chain ?


180 off ?? Would it even start if that was the case ?

Now.. IF... that's the case.. how would I fix it ?



Could loose sparkplugs cause it ? Because I used indexing washers.. and maybe I didn't tighten the plugs well enough

 

Sounds like retarded timing, this will make the engine sound deaper and turn the exhaust HOT!

Where is the smoke coming from?? Under hood is simply an oil leak or paint burning off. Out the exhaust is something much much worse.

 

Like i said ... i gotta paint the timing marker o nthe balancer white... but i could have sworn i didn't even see it in the timing light

and i adjusted the distributor back and forth... the engine didn't settle down at all
----------
IF... and just IF.... the timing chain was put on wrong ... what is the proper way of putting it on.... which dots does one line up with which lines

i did check the manual... and i did notice how it had the old chain attached.. so i don't know how .. if.. i did... could have gotten it wrong

 

It will run (bad) if it is 180 out.
Do a search for Best way to set TDC?

Or put 1 at top (comperssion) and look for the timing mark
if its 180 out you will have to roll under the car to see it.

 

But.... I could have sworn I had the no.1 piston at TDC.... timing marker at 0 ... and rotor pointed toward no.1 plug wire

 

Just making sure.
Did you disconnect the brown wire to the ESC before checking the timing?
The wire is on the passenger side of the engine compartment. It has a plug you can disconnect.

It has been quite a while since I had the timing problem. Someone will need to verify the the color and the component it is controlling. ESC or not I'm not sure about. I'm sure the color is brown. I'd go look but the car isn't here right now.

 

If...the dots on the gears are: (when installed)
Cam at 12:00 and crank at 12:00 then it is in the number 1 fire position. (Dots up) Line the rotor up with #1 plug.

Cam at 6:00 and crank at 12:00 then it is in the number 6 fire position. (Dots together) Line the rotor up pointed AWAY from #1 plug but in line with it.

back to the if...
If you know the dots were together (and you then lined the rotor up with #1 plug) (it is 180 out) If thats the case then pull the cap to see where the rotor is pointed at. Mark the housing, lift the distributor just enough to turn the rotor and turn it 180 degrees and set it back in. It should be directly across from the mark. If not it's off a tooth. Re-adjust...

 

Yes I did disconnect the ESC wire

 

Haven't gotten a chance to check it yet, because I had so many other errands to do.

Battery was dead so I had to bring it to Autozone for a slow charge, being an Optima Yellow it would have probably fried the damn stock alternator.

And I only got the battery back a few hours ago and now it's turning dark soooo


Still a bit confused though ... ok... now


Say it is 180 off ... would explain the extreme beyond stock car racing sound.


So if I put no.1 piston at TDC ... and the timing mark at 0, and now put the rotor pointing at no.6 .... would it all line up.. without doing anything to the camshaft ?? So I wouldn't have to touch the timing chain at all ?

Ya see what I mean.... I'm not quite sure I understood it all ....

 

How are you determining that you are at No. 1 TDC??

With the timing cover on the only way to tell is to watch the valves to see that the intake valve was the last valve to move, or to put your thumb over the spark plug hole and see if you get compression.

 

I'm wondering if this may have happened. I set the first set of valves with no.1 TDC... rotated 360.. .set the second set at no.6 TDC

Now... I thought I had it left at no.6 TDC, but maybe I had rotated it back to no.1 TDC to recheck the valves again... if that happened well.. that would mean I rotated it back to no.6 TDC when in fact I thought I already was at no.6 TDC

 

I've never had any luck with that method of setting the valves. I've always set them with the oposite valve on each cylinder at full lift. This takes longer but this way there is no doubt that the lifter is on the base circle.

 

ah ok ... hmmm just in case there would be a problem with that.. do you have a link to the procedure ? search engine isn't working for me.. at all

 

Pretty simple really, just do 1 cylinder at a time. When the intake valve is at max lift adjust the exhaust, then when the exhuast is at max lift do the intake...repeat 7 more times and you're done. Remember 1/2 to 1 turn past zero lash, I find zero lash by twisting the push rod while I tighten the nut. Zero lash is when there is resistance to spinning the push rod, it should be very evident when you reach this point.

I say it's most likely that your timing is wrong, so try that out first.

 

yeah i'll do that tomorrow

 

Looks like it may be the distributor .... the new hold down tab.. well simply doesn't clamp it down very well at all.. so i gotta find my old one