Hi, I have a 91 Formula 305 TPI 5 Spd.

I had to replace the distributor, I instatlled it and unhooked the Tan/BLK Stripe connector near the heater box, set base @6*BTC, bolted it down and rechecked base timing, all was good.

It ran like sheit. My guess, 1 tooth off, so I redid the job, Found TDC on #1, poped the cap, it looked 1 tooth off, redo distr. install, all looks good, still TDC on #1, rotor points to #1 wire. Set base timing @ 10*BTC (read that here somewhere today), and bolt her back up.

Runs like crap again, so I do it by feel, and check the timing w/light and it's off the scale by an inch, guessing it was 18*BTC or so, gauges ends at 12.

This Time it runs like the way it did before I broke the distr. but now it Idles, It would not idle before.

So, What the hell is going on here?

Should I run it? I don't think its right, but it runs great.

If my car is chiped and remapped, like the seller said it was, would that account for the timing?

Help PLEASE!

 

You may need to verify the timing marks. A piston stop and small degree wheel (or even a timing tape) can help you find the true TDC mark on the balancer ring.

 

if your dist is installed on the wrong tooth can you correct this by twisting the distributor? i have the same issue but the car runs fine, just the timing mark isnt on the scale anymore, it looks more around 20 deg.

 

I think you can, but then your timing marks don't line up, just like you said.
I think I have the same problem still, even after redoing it once.

TDC on #1 didn't seem quite right in my case, is it possible to put the harmonic balancer on wrong or the timing gauge maybe? When I heard air leak out of the loose compression tester on #1, the timing mark was way past 0 or TDC

My car is real fast, and new to me, maybe I got aftermarket timing gears? I don;t know what has been done to it, or where to start, to fix it.

It is running right now, and good, but I had to oldschool the timing. Now I worry I'll kill it.

 

True TDC mark you say??? So it is possible, that if I set it to zero on my timing scale it wasn't TDC.

Is the degree wheel and piston stop procedure an engine in car deal?
Do I have to do major dismantling of my engine?
I ask because I have till the 31st to find a place and move, can,t have the bird apart for more than a day at a time.

 

it would seem that even with the dist off a tooth, and the dist twisted to compensate for this, and the engine runs good, that the timing mark should at least be "around" the same place...just needs to be fine tuned. i might be thinking to hard on this. but when i check the timing on my engine, with the vac advance unpugged, the timing mark for #1 to get the engine to fire is not visible from the drivers side of the engine compartment. ill post a pic of the to show where it is.

i dont quite understand how this engine would run (TPI) before at the correct mark and run at a different mark without any changes to the lower end. im sorry to post jack this just seems like the crowd to ask

the only thing i can think of is a spun balancer and if i did spin it what would this do to my engine and is there a way to check to see if it did spin???

thank you

 

Your red line is where my base timing is set right now at idle with EST (tan w/blk stripe) unhooked, and my engine runs good.

So if I move the distributor 1 tooth it should bring my timing mark back to the gauge?

 

i did some calling around and it seems the common answer is that i/we spun our balancer. even if we are off by a tooth on the dist it shouldnt have that drastic of an effect on where the timing mark will be, because our engines start and run good/ or in my case did run good.

 

Well, this sux, I guess it time to do more work, Im gonna find tdc again an check my balancer mark.

 

It's not that hard to get a rough idea of TDC. If the balancer damper ring has slipped, it should be fairly obvious after a quick check.

 

It either slipped or the Previous owner had adjustable timing gears put on.

I checked TDC and it's well before 0 on my timing scale. Is it safe to just set it by ear/test run, and run it???

After thinking some I guess the timing gears wouldn't do anything to my balancer mark, right?

So it's time for a balancer too now huh?

 

Yes its safe to run, as long as your not pinging you wont be doing damage. If the timing is off the car will run rough or not run. On my chevelle we ran the timing like this for awhile, had it at a sweet spot. I bought a timing light, timed it, ran like ****, turns out the distributor was off a tooth and by ear we compensated for it, turns out once we figured out how many degrees off it was we had it right at the mark it should be, just 1 tooth off.

my point being that theres only one ideal spot, and if you found it be feel/ear and hte car isn't pinging than thats 99% it.

 

Good to hear! I did some fine tunning after the sun went down yesterday, and the bird is FAST, Idles great, and has 0 hesitation!

YAY ME! LOL

I won a G-Tech off ebay last night, should be here in a few days, can't wait to see some numbers!

I guess after I move, I will replace the balancer and try the timing light again.

Thanks guys!