This is what I found underneath the cap and rotor.



Now the green thing turns fairly smoothly, but I was wondering if it is supposed to be free turning or is there supposed to be some friction with the rest of the distributor? Its kind of hard to explain, buy maybe somebody will understand what I'm gettin at.

Thanks

87 305 TPI

 

The "green thing" is the cover for the pickup coil. If it turns, is should not be a problem. It doesn't have to turn, since the pickup coil itself needs to remain stationary. As long as it doesn't interfere with the rotation of the reluctor (rust colored thing) it should be just fine.

 

Vader, I just LOVE your vocabulary!!!!! Skull, here's another issue to consider too. When mine looked that bad, I had a VERY bad connection at the module due to corrosion too. Check that to make sure it's clean and tight.

 

I went on ahead and replaced the distibutor. I messed up the bearings while trying to get it off the shaft....but I got it off the shaft though. They weren't real bad, but I thought I might as well replace it. Still running like crap though, got initial timing set to 6* BTDC.

What it's doing is, it idles fine, but when I put it into gear, it's a manual, it wants to die, no power under load. I can get up to speed eventually through fourth gear, but fifth just lays down due to no power.

I have replaced,
Distributor
Plugs Gapped at .035
Wires
Rotor
Cap

I have adjusted to spec,
IACV
TPS
Timing
Brought the idle down to about 750.

Also, since I have replaced the distributor, my upshift light doesn't come on.

What else should I check?


One more thing, in my book it says I ought to have a sensor at the back of the intake on the driver side, supposed to take the incoming air temp. A torx bolt is where it should be, and I can't any wires that would go to it, does this model not have that?

Thanks

 

So, is the module new? A bad module would allow me to idle, but have no power through the range. The air temp sensor is in the bottom of the plenum, right? If you don't have the temp sensor in the plenum, you are missing it, and the two wires that went to it. A coolant temp sensor can be used there too. Keep me posted and e-mail if you want.

 

The distributor came with a new module.

This is the diagram out of my manual, sorry for the quality of the photo, but you can see whats going on by it.

5.0 (VIN F) Which mine is.



Here is what is actually on my engine.



Am I looking in the wrong place for that sensor?

 

I think you're looking for the IAT/MAT...it's in under the plenum, bolted in from the bottom, in the rear, IIRC, been awhile since I had mine apart

 

Yeah, that bolt is ok, the diagram is a bit confusing. It is under the plenum like Mike said. Do you have one of those under your plenum I hope?

 

Ok, I see it at the back underneath the plenum. So yes I have one and it's plugged in.

 

Another idea for no power, but idling ok, comes to mind and that is a vacuum leak. It will run until it gets load, then dies or gets weak. See what you get for a vacuum reading. Then check the TPS with an ohmeter, to see if it has any dead spots in it. Then check fuel pressure, and battery voltage while runnning.

 

ok, went and got a vacuum gauge, hooked it into the line that runs to the cruise control.

I'm getting a reading of approx 16 at idle, when I hit the throttle it drops to zero, but when I slowly increase throttle from idle it drops slightly from 16.

Is this within spec?

 

Run the rpms to about 3K, and hold it (in park/nuetral) compare that readiing of vacuum to idle vacuum reading.

If 3K rpm is lower than idle, then exhaust is restricted (clogged/clogging cat, muffler/crushed pipe)..lower the 3K reading, more the clog.

What's intersting though is you should be in the 18-20hg/in range at idle (at sea level) with a stock engine

 

As long as we're all thinking vacuum maybe, disconnect the PCV temporarily, and check the brake booster to make sure there's no leaks at these two big areas. Also check under the throttle body for that vacuum line too. It's on the drivers side, on the bottom, and will have a small vacuum line going to it. Mine had a leak there once too.

 

Ok...I think I have figured out what is causing the problem.

When I got the car the charging system wasn't charging the battery because the field wire on the alternator wasn't getting any voltage. I traced this wire back to the fuse block, and wasn't getting any power there either while the car was running. So, I ran a wire from the possitive battery terminal, through a 20amp inline fuse, and spliced it into the field wire, temporarily until I good track down the problem in the wiring. When I have this unhooked, the car runs probably 80 percent better than it does with this hooked up. I'm thinking the other 20 percent can be tuned out after I get this fixed.


My question is, why would that cause the car to not run right? Was I bypassing the ECM or something?

 

That's a simple one then. The more power an engine needs, the more spark/voltage it needs. If the battery was getting worn out, and needed more due to revving or power, the spark couldn't fire, so it wouldn't have any power. It would almost act like it's own rev limiter, by using voltage. If you bypassed the ECM, it wouldn't run at all I'd think. Good work on your part.