I bought my 84 TA a year ago and it ran fine. Its the base 305 with an Edelbrock performer, an Accel HEI with the super coil, and I believe a cam someone added along with the carb and distributor. Recently my car would begin to die at low idle (750-500) when I would put it in any gear. Then it would stall at hwy speed. The tach would bounce 2 or 3 grand up and down then die. Then when turning over the tach would not move (usually shows cranking speed). Its getting plenty of fuel. Newer carb, new fuel pump, plugs, and wires. I thought it was the coil so I switched my distributor with my friends GM HEi. Now the tach moves when cranking but it wont fire. I've reset the ignition timing to make sure it was right because it backfired a couple times. The plugs weren't fouled. Im stumped. I don't think it jumped timing and I really don't want to take the timing cover off to check. I would appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thanks.

 

Sounds like it could be a bad modual in the distributor but many of the larger auto parts places can test them for you. i kinda doubt the timing chain jumped a tooth so i dont think you have to worrie about that at this point anyways.

 

Thats what I thought, but I've tried two other working distributors but it still just cranks. Thanks for the reply.

 

Alright well at this point does it start just not run well or not start at all? If it does start try hooking up a vacuum guage and let us know what it reads. If it does not start seeing as how youve changed the distributors with 2 known working ones and it still wont start check to see if its fireing. It probably is as you said it back fired but i hate assumeing things as thoes are the things that will come back to bite u in the end.

 

It doesn't run. It just turns over. The couple back fires were the only signs of life. Now it just cranks. The distributor is firing. Everything about the ignition and timing is working and set fine as far as I can tell.

 

Thats really odd i would have thought for sure it would be a bad mudual seein as how the tach was going alittle crazy. Although if it infact is fireing consistantly on all cylinders and in good time but still wont start we may have too looks a a possable fuel problem. What is the fuel pressure? When you snap the throttle and look down the throttle bores do you see fuel squirting into the carb? Also check for vacuum leaks.

 

I've held the throttle open and its shooting fuel. I havn't checked the pressure yet but it should still show signs of life. Im gonna throw a holley on it and try that. Im not too happy with edelbrock carbs but I dont think thats the problem anyway but maybe. Im gonna check the pressure while its off. Im hoping its that but considering, I doubt it.

 

Idk i love the edelbrock carbs for street motors. Very reliable. Although i mean motors are pretty simple when you get right down to it all there is is fuel air and spark in the right ratios at the right time. If its not spark and its not fuel that doesnt really leave a whole lot unless we made an assumption that something was working that wasnt true. So give the fuel system a looking over and well go from there.

 

If it was backfiring I would double check to make sure the distributor you put in to test it isn't 180 degrees off.