ok, ...decided to stick the intake carb dist ect ect back on the 86, turn the key...it runs like *glug glug glug* instead of the nice normal Vrrrrrrrrrr.....wtf is it going glug glug glug.....tried playing with the timing,..no help., turned the rotor 180 degrees , ..played with it, no help.....any ideas of the dread Glug glug glug ? or more like RrrrrrRrrrrRrrrrRrrrrr ...but its seriously a glugging....

 

One cylinder not running.... fouled plug, damaged plug wire, failed distributor cap are where I'd start looking

 

new wires, new plugs, new cap, new coil, #7 cylinder plug was completly covered in oil crud.....the stud that holds the rocker arm on got pushed up about 1 inch, had to push it back it and am going to pin it tomarrow .......could it be a blown valve, or piston, rings??? any suggestions??

 

Do a compression test.

You may have a rocker adjusted too tight. Or a bent valve
or something.

 

rocker arms are correctly adjusted....0 compresion on #7 cyl.

 

Does one retainer on #7 appear to sit lower than the others when the valve is closed. ( Bent valve).

If the cylinder is full of oil and you have 0 compression, you have a hole in the piston.....

 

well, i thought the engine would smoke heavily out the tail pipes if the piston was blown/had a hole....the car doesnt smoke at all....

 

UPDATE....ok did a compression test today....the suspected cyl has 150 lbs of pressure, ..so that rules out the piston , ring, and valve....now what...?????????

 

Doesn't matter if they're "new" or not, check them carefully

 

plugs, wires and distibutor cap and rotor are fine, coil as well, ignition module is ok....could the distributor be broken ???

 

Possible, but not likely. Usually something broken about the dist affects all cylinders.

Let the engine cool completely; start it up and let it run for about 15 or 20 seconds; then drip water on each of the header tubes. See which one is cold. Direct your attention to the plug and wire for that cylinder, by looking at them, not just assuming that since you recently changed them, they're good. Maybe even swap them with a good cylinder, and see if the problem follows them, or stays where it was. If they are in fact good, then look at the valves, make sure the ones on the dead cylinder are moving the same as the ones on other cyls.