recently I have been having trouble with the car lacking power and running as if I had plug wires crossed, so I changed the dist cap, plugwires, spark plugs and fuel filter.
checked the distributor itself and the rotor, changed the ignition module and cleaned out the carb.
It seemed to be getting worse as i went through everything, now it wont even start, it turns over, catchs a few times but not enough get running, no matter where the timing is, it backfires through the carb as well.
could my coil have packed in? It's a fairly old one that I put back in when my other one burnt up.
any ideas? I'm getting very frustrated

 

If everything is in it's right place i am just about sure it's your fuel pump, mine acted just as you are describing awhile back and then eventually died and wouldnt start, it was the fuel pump. But maybe not with a carb, just a thought.....
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1986 Trans Am
305 TPI
"If it's not one thing, it's another!"
http://www2.hanover.edu/hierlmeier

[This message has been edited by 86Trans Am (edited March 16, 2001).]

 

 

Exhaust restriction?

 

Yes! I get raw gas squirting out the carb.
then again sometiems flame.
If the chain jumped a cog or two, couldnt that be made up for with timing adjust?
I found TDC according to my valvetrain, the balancer lines up, but the dist wasn't. I re-dropped the dist to point at #1 but still same prob!
chain can't be broke i watched all valves moving when finding TDC.
argh!

 

If the timing chain jumped, you're SOL, repostioning the distributor only maike up for the loos in ignition timing, but the valve timing in relation to the piston, is still off.

 

 

Alright, I'll rip open the chain case and see what I find, thanks for the help guys!

 

**UPDATE**
I took of the cover today, only to find that the cam is indeed perfectly IN TIME!!
the chain is great condition as are the gears so that cannot be the problem.
so what the heck is going on!?!?
I've replaced every ignition component on the engine except for the distributor itself, which mechanically works fine.
what else is there??
help!!!

 

It may be the ignition module under the cap. When that thing is starting to go bad the dwell timing gets screwd up!

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86 Tramaro 90% Trans Am/ 10% IROC/Z (nose, hood,& fenders)
Trans Am Mods as of 1/10/01
3inch
T.E.S/Flowmaster setup,gutted cat,gutted maf,relocated mat,373 gears,upgraded factory chip,255 liter h/press. walpro f/pump & throttle body coolant bypass
njdaewoo@excite.com

 

I changed that already
maybe the pickup coil is fryed?
that a rare thing to happen though

 

I am having very similar trouble, and have done many of the same things. I purchased a new coil, and it helped, but didn't fix it. I'm just as lost as you are. I have discovered a possible short in the altenator, which I am going to explore further today. Perhaps the the alt is going out and stealing the amps I need to get a strong spark?

I've changed everything else, which probably needed to be freshened up anyhow, but nothing has fixed it.

I'll let you know. Change the coil in the meantime, they're not too expensive.

 

I've changed the ignition coil and even the alternator, which has been losing charge for a while, I'm thinkin maybe its the pickup coil inside the distributor, thats right beside the command module?
my distributor is still the 82 factory distributor, something in there must be wore out...
its the only thing left