So basically I have decided to take matters in my own hands. I have realized even though I am new to motor work i need to learn this and Im tired of getting screwed over by these mechanics. This is the story:

I brought my car into a shop to fix the intake manifold gaskets, which they do. I drive off the lot and my car is jerking like crazy while in gear(manual trans).It took 2 days to realize that it was the connections in the distibutor. Today, I just received my car back and now it is midly jerking while in gear. I know for sure it is STILL the problem, the distributor settings/connections.

So now my question is, where should I start? I know where the distributor is. Can anyone give me instructions on how to check to see if they screwed up my distributor? Any help would be great thanks.

 

if its jerking then it ,may be the clutch.does the engine jerk while in neutral?

 

no it idles fine and only jerks when Im in gear trying to keep a steady pace. I assume its the distributor since the shop said they fit everything back in place. sound right? Thanks for the help

 

omg! im haveing the same problem! v6 carb with a t-5. haha this is wierd, im thinking for me its getting to much fuel, but if its not then i would also like to now. now before i started to think it was to much fuel i was assumeing the timing. if they didnt put the cap back on just right or if they turnd the distuber with out it being on TDC that would cause it. way to check, pull the #1 plug, get the piston to the top(on the combustion stroke i think) then take the cap off (on mine its 2 screws hiolding it on) and lift the cap. now the rotor button there, the metal part, should be facing the #1 plug on the cap. if its not that means your distruber got turned. if its good then the timing might be off, in which if its a v belt system youll need a timing gun. i dont remember the serpitine belt system. there is a srew that holds the disturber in place, loosen it. then have the engine running at idle and at normal operting temp. use the gun to point at the harmanic balancer and look for the mark, thats your timing mark. turn the distruber eighter way, one way to advance and one way to retard. lol play it by ear and drive it to get the right timing. there should be a emissions sticker that will have factory timing on it in the engine bay area.

 

Darkmj16, thanks for the directions!!! I was able to check the distributor and timing none which seem to be off??? I took it to 2 chevy dealers and BOTH could not find the problem? Both suspect a cylinder not firing correctly, but not 100% w/o taking apart the motor...this just doesnt sound right. Not when I had the car for 2 months running great. I plan to replace the spark plugs and wires just to make sure those are correct, but aside from that I am clueless now.

Any input would be appreciated... oh and to better describe my problem, when Im driving at constant speeds it sounds and feels like my engine is starving for more gas b/c when I push down on the gas it drives and accelerates fine.

 

no problem!
is your car mimicing my car? ya i found a good mechinic who nows what hes doing here and my plugs got foulled out, new plugs cap and rotor. but wires looked good. but anywas mine wont idle for nothing and dies when not on the gas! and it has a 9psi fuel pressure! but when in neatrul i can hear the miss if i rev it high. so idk whats going but my new mechinic here is interested in it and is gona figure it out, ill keep posting for evey one. he siad there is deffently osmething wrong since i have to retard it so much to make it run better, he said figure that out and eveything else falls into place.

 

My car idles fine but yea its fine when gas pedal is down. Just starves for gas when at a constant speed. Thanks again and let me know any updates

 

ya my car seems to have a bit more problems then yours. but tomorrow well be looking at it. its wierd when on the gas its fine and now gears 1-3 are great, have some power back but when climbing hills, well it jerks. 4th jerks with little power and 5th is just trash right now.

 

well....my coil pack died on me mid drive. replaced it and the thing in the distruber is bad now to. my mechinic thinks that it could contrube to the jerking but says its not the main/only thing. just a heads up. may wana check them out.

 

So I decided to take off my TPS and guess what??? NO skipping!!! Bad sensor. Something so simple yet makes me wonder how these machanics missed this?

 

so youre problem was a tps? dang. adjust it to .54 volts. weird.. check the base timing also. to be safe.

 

You are going to have to excuse me, I am new to this, but I was under the impression I would have to run to advantage and pic up a new sensor, is this wrong? thanks

 

you could replace it., or you test it by hooking up a voltmeter to it and testing the voltage as you press down on the varible swinging arm on the sensor, and look for "jumping" has you press open the thottle plates. also, to test/adjust: turn key to on position, and probe the top two wire going to the sensor, it should read .54 volts, or -.54 volts, if its negitive, switch the polarity of the the probes on the volt meter to read postive .54volts. loosen the screws on the sensor and adjust to .54volts at idle with key to on position but car not running. good luck man, damn mechanics,been there. ps, id imagine a bad tps is like a scratchy radio volume ****.

 

well i have a carb tho...wonder what my problem is? but anywas im bout to remove all emissions crap so hopefully this will have solve the problem

 

i doubt its emissions, i think the prom chip may need to be replaced with a tuned chip to your spec, (no emissions) I like the idea of no emissions, but you things like the egr and stuff computer stuff. could just ditch the computer all together, but it may actually help with fuel economy. SO you have a v8? or v6. the could be ignition control module, im just offering a direction, been there done that experience deal, only 22. when the coil goes out the ignition control module suffers, the module and coil pak fight with each kinda if one goes bad the other will soon too. vice versa. if you wanted to go through the trouble of removing it and getting tested at a auto parts place, (autozone, kragen, o'reilys)(but to REINSTALL on a v8) be sure to get ignition control module thermogrease and put it (not too much)under the module to help with the heat, and ground the bottom on the module to the distributor.

 

v6, and done. the car still has high idle, dont now why yet, and it jerks...not like before where it was getting flooded. the only way i can desribe it is it just jerks.

sorry maks10, not trying to high jack your thread.
actually to stop from high jacking i started my own thread here, https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...ml#post4337279

 

no ur not man actually im still keepin up with ur topic...i repleaced my sensor and looked at the voltage...NOT FIXED!!! I run better the the TPS disconnected just has a high idle...Im about to give up

 

Real easy to go back to a regualr vac advance dizzy n carb, parts galore for a V8.

Lot easier to figure out what wrong too.

 

lmao i have the high idle now! and still jerking, havent checked my tps sensor yet. another thing thats been recommended to me was the coil wire.

 

hate to ask? did you test the MAF<slap it.!

 

dug this up from my old suscriptions in case people have this same problem wanted to post update:


Previous owner had O2 sensor cut off (prob bc headers w/o o2 sensor bung) and programed out


--> member on site sugested installing O2 sensor----> welded o2 bung and found cut wire
***** FIXED since just forgot to update

no codes showed btw


This site is great!!!!!


I find this post hillarious considering multiple shops and 2 dealers couldnt find any problems and quoted ridiculous prices to POSSIBLY fix it...lesson of the day try to learn it your self