Ok, so the Caprice has been running worse lately, popping under load, bogging when the choke opens, shaking you to death at stops.

Today it doesn't start, so I check everything, and even try starting fluid, no luck.

Well, I had the chance to swap in a holley and vaccum advance distributor, that took one hour.

Still won't start. I figured I must have broken the timing chain, the rotor moves.

Even with a bad timing chain, the damn thing should still run, this is ridiculous..

It turns over all day, just won't catch and start.

BTW, I have spark. For the "BATT" terminal on the HEI, I clipped the think pinkinsh red wire from the stock divorced coil and put a female spade on it, if memory serves me, that's pretty much it for the distributor.

The distributor is in good shape, checked the module at work, coil is good, new cap and rotor.

It's getting towed to a mechanic tomorrow, any suggestions?

 

Start with the basics and work your way out.

Pull a plug and set it on a groud...turn the motor over and see if it sparks.

Make sure the carb is getting fuel..check to be sure the float level is good.

Pop a valve cover..and make sure the valves are still working when you turn it over.

If all else fails. check the compression in a few holes make sure there is something there.


That should at least give you a good clue where to look next.


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[This message has been edited by Jester (edited December 09, 2001).]

 

Did all that but the compression test, which WAS going to happen tomorrow..

 

Oh yeah..and stick a timing gun on it quick, and try just dropping a table spoon or 3 of raw fuel in the intake...see if it does anything.

If all fine, then I'd have to guess the chain might have skipped a tooth or something.

 

Oh yeah..and stick a timing gun on it quick, and try just dropping a table spoon or 3 of raw fuel in the intake...see if it does anything.

If all fine, then I'd have to guess the chain might have skipped a tooth or something.

 

Can't crank the engine and time it at the same time...

 

Well you need a buddy to help....but if you have to you can rig up a remote start button in the engine bay. Just run a wire to a pushbutton then down to the solenoid.

 

If you're timing chain is stretched, advance it a little... that will make up for some of it... (don't let it go too long... my father did that to his toyota, the chain wore through the water jacket, water in oil, engine destruction... all for avoiding a couple hours of work)...

Just because a coil tests out ok, DOES NOT mean it's good. It just mean it's not completely dead... the windings inside could be wearing out, causeing a weak spark... worst comes to worst, get a buddy to cranck while you look at what color the spark is... pale yellow = bad... blue or better is good.

I just bought an Accel GM replacement coil for 50 at PepBoys today. I would have wanted the 40 dollar MSD one, but I had the money and wanted one today... My coil tested out fine, but when I checked the spark color, it was very pale...

Anyway, good luck.

 

i'm 100% sure it's the timing chain based on the arrangement of the letters in the last ICQ message i got from you. it looked soemthing like this " It's the timing chain, going to change it tomorrow". good luck mac.

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