ok, i had an engine shop put in a new distributer with a vaccum advance to match the mechanical Q-jet. (i would have done it myself, but i have no time to mess with it)
When i picked it up, the idle was only at 400rpms, and it was struggling to stay alive so i advanced it a little bit until it was right around 700. NO Problem. So this morning i go to start the car to go to work, and it starts, then sputters and dies. I start it again and it manages to stay alive and idle. NO Problem. SO i get off work and walk out to my car, get in, turn the key, the engine starts, sputters and dies, and those were it's last words. It hasn't spoken since. I kept turning it over but nothing, so i pop the hood, pull the air cleaner and start to look the distributer over. first thing i notice, is the cap is loose, second, i notice that i am able to turn the whole thing very easily with my bare hands. I know the coil is ok because it shocked the hell out my dads hand. It just wont fire. what the hell is going on here??? i really need some help quick because my car is still sitting in the parking lot and its not exactly in the good part of town, if you know what i mean. Please help Quick

------------------
86 Z28 red,
originally LG4,
new 350,
non comp Qjet,
T-5 five speed with new clutch,
stock 3.23 gears, Edelbrock Performer intake,
crane 272H cam,
Accel 8mm wires,
Edelbrock performer cat- back,
Homemade cold/forced air intake.
KYB GR-2 struts and shocks.
Grant GT leather wrap steering wheel.
Sony X-plod stereo.
Optima 6x9's

Future mods:
NOS,
Edelbrock TES headers, hi flo cat.
4th gen interior
6 point roll cage
3.42 gears
hurst billet/plus shifter
Edelbrock STB
Telstar rims

cars i've beaten:
95' Avenger, 88 Mustang GT, 70' Mustang , 97 Dodge Ram, 94 firebird formula, 92 Mustang GT, 94' 3000GT VR4, 97' Accord Rice Rocket (just barely), countless many ricers....

 

run the engine up on TDC set the rotor to #1 tighten everything up that's loose, look for any wires, brackets or whatever not installed like they should be. fire it up, set the time, adjust the idle, check the time again. you might have to move the distributor a little to get it to fire but it should.

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ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd

 

Sounds like You just Learned Why to Do that Stuff Yourself.

If the Cap was loose, thats going to cause all Manner of problems, Its a Wonder it Ran at all.

If the Holdown was not tightend Sufficently To keep the distributor from moving, Your Timing Will Have "adjusted" itself. IE the dist turn with the rotation of the Rotor, and eventually get out of Spec.

Just Line it up, Like Ede said, and Keep trying.

If You dont have that luxury, Try having a friend turn it back and forth while cranking untill you get it to Fire. then get more prcise from there.

Good Luck.


I hate timing...




------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Livin' the Stereotype

 

UPDATE:
i went out there this morning to grab a few books out of it, and just for the hell of it, i tried starting it, and low and behold, it fired up first try!!! The timing is still off and it refuses to idle, but i can fix that. Im going out there later to pick it up. i'll tighten everything down and drive it home, so i can play with it.

I was told that the dying upon start up can be caused by a bad choke themostat. it seems like it would make sense to me, does anyone know anything about this??
thanks for everyones help!!

 

Zup,

Yes. The inability to idle at startup is likely a mixture problem. Get the distributor fully assembled and back in correct time, then attack the mixture problem. Look at the choke and thermostat first. Below 80°F carb temperature the choke should be closed. At 80°, it's just barely enough spring tension to close it. Colder than that, it should spring closed more readily.

------------------
Later,
Vader
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"I'm gonna talk about some freaky sheet now..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0
KaleCo Auto Parts

 

Cool, im gonna check all that out tomarrow. I went out to the car, tightened the car and roughly set the timing then tightened it down, and it started up fine and ran great all the way home. Im gonna set the timing better and then go to town on the choke, and hopefully that will solve all my problems...

thanks to all who helped me!!

------------------
86 Z28 red,
originally LG4,
new 350,
non comp Qjet,
T-5 five speed with new clutch,
stock 3.23 gears,
K&N Air Filter (best 35 bucks i ever spent!)
Edelbrock Performer intake,
crane 272H cam,
Accel 8mm wires,
Edelbrock performer cat- back,
Homemade cold/forced air intake.
KYB GR-2 struts and shocks.
Grant GT leather wrap steering wheel.
Sony X-plod stereo.
Optima 6x9's

Future mods:
NOS, Edelbrock TES headers, hi flo cat., 4th gen interior, 6 point roll cage, 3.42 gears
hurst billet/plus shifter, Edelbrock STB, Telstar rims

cars i've beaten:
95' Avenger, 88 Mustang GT, 70' Mustang , 97 Dodge Ram, 94 firebird formula, 92 Mustang GT, 94' 3000GT VR4, 97' Accord Rice Rocket (just barely), countless many ricers....

[This message has been edited by zupmanZ28 (edited January 22, 2001).]