Hey guys, I recently put in a new distributor in my '88 GTA (the stock one had the gears chewed up), I bought the new part from Jeg's; it was a Proform distributor. Afterwards the car was running stroger than ever, but the base where the Dist. cap sits on got loose from the shaft, so it was throwing my timing way off, I called jegs and told them to send me another one, but the same thing happened; so I gave up on Jeg's and went to my local AutoZone and bought me a rebuilt one. Well, after installing it, the engine hasn't run as smooth or as strong as it used to. When i hold the trans in first gear and drive at a set rpm (eg 3000 rpm's) the engine misses bad and feels like somebody is hitting the car on the back (it throbs), when in gear at the stop light, it also throbs and runs very rough and like i said, it doesn't pull nearly as hard as it used to. I put new plugs, wires, cap, rotor and even raplaced the AutoZone module in the dist. for an Accel one. No luck
Can anybody help on this subject?

Something else I wanted to ask you guys, I keep seeing here that people have SVO (Ford) injectors in their cars. Are compatible, who sells the least inexpensive 24# injectors for my car (new) and what's the part number?

thank for your help

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'88 GTA 350
Headers, catback, free mods, Xtreme energy cam, and intake pieces
13.51@104.27, but can run better as it is.

RAPTOR, the baddest bird on the planet
AIM HIGH

 

Sorry for the miZZzpelled words.

Something I forgot to mention, I also had the timing tuned to 12* and the firing order is correct, but again, no luck
Thanks for your help

 

Oh, something else I forgot.....IF YOU PEOPLE DON'T HELP, I PROMISE I'LL GO BUY ME A REALLY CHEAP HONDA CIVIC, OR MAYBE EVEN A FREAKING HUNDAY OR KIA.

 

If you'd have put the right f---ing gear on the distributor in the first place when you stuck that cam in, you wouldn't be in the situation you are in now. Maybe you should get a little rice rocket!!! Yes, I'm flaming you now. Why didn't you just rebuild the stock distributor for about $60? Did you change the pickup coil when you replaced the ignition module in the distributor? An AutoZone rebuilt distributor is destined to cause trouble. Take the Accel module out of it and return the distributor to Autozone. Buy a new distributor gear of the correct metallurgy and a pickup coil, and rebuild your stock distributor. Back the timing up to about 8* and see if it doesn't run right again. Also, Summit Racing has the SVO 24# injectors for about $200 a set. Use at your own risk.

 

Jethro,
WTF? The guy asks a legit question and you flame him? Who are you anyway? Never heard of you on this board. Lighten up, Maybe he doesn't know much about distributors. Take you act over to 3rdgen.org, we don't need it here.

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Rob P
89RSconvtZZ4TPI
92Z28convt5spd
71Impala convt 402BB
BETTER DRIVING THRU SUPERIOR HORSEPOWER!

[This message has been edited by Rob P (edited November 02, 2000).]

 

I guess you forgot to read his smart *** diatribe just prior to my post. I AM trying to help him, Rob, and I don't see any technical advice in your post so maybe you could lighten up on me a little. The technical advice in my post is legit, as was his question. I'm just busting his ***** anyway, no harm intended.

 

I did read his other posts and took them for what they where, a joke. That's right, no technical comment in my post, because I don't have any special knowledge of distributors other then how to put them in, change the module, coil etc, I decided not to run my trap about something I don't know about. Just making sure this board doesn't turn into 3rdgen.org.

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Rob P
89RSconvtZZ4TPI
92Z28convt5spd
71Impala convt 402BB
BETTER DRIVING THRU SUPERIOR HORSEPOWER!

 

Thanks for your support Rob p. The Honda civic stuff was in fact a joke, but some people have such a small brain that they can't tell the difference. The reason I'm asking what my problem could be is because when I get really frustated I can't think very clear and a little help is never bad, but I wasn't expecting this guy's crappy attitude. So anyway, thanks for all your help, both.

 

Like I said, I was just busting your *****. I apologize if it offended you. However, I didn't use personal comments like "small brain" or "run my trap about something I don't know about." Just disregard the first three sentences of my post. Please consider the rest of it as it was truly intended to help you with your situation. Again, sorry if I pissed you off.

 

Lets help him out guys, come on. We dont need to bicker. Look, i did something really stupid when i installed my distributor after my cam swap, and you may have done the same. I forgot to put in the distributor hold-down tab. I got the same results you did. I took it out, put it in, took it out, put it in, then i saw the damn hold down sitting in my ash tray as i was about to drive it to my mechanic. Its stupid, i know, but thats what my problem was.

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"Ever notice how imports sound like weedwackers"

 

The thing is that all the parts installed go with this car and installation was done properly. It's not like I put a Volvo Distributor in my '88 GTA. The only thing I can't think of is that the outer ring on my damper slipped a few degres and I'm not able to adjust the timing right. All the trouble started with the AutoZone part. The Proform Dist. ran excellent, but it broke, twice (read first thred)

 

Did you turn in your original distributor to recover the core refund, or do you still have it? To check the damper, at least to see if it's way off, pull the #1 spark plug and put your finger over the hole. Loosen the accessory belts (makes it much easier to turn) and turn the engine clockwise with a breaker bar on the crankshaft pulley bolt. Somewhere within two full revolutions of the engine you will start to feel the pressure pushing against your finger. As soon as you stop feeling the compression (this can be a little tricky), crawl out from under the car and see if the groove on the outside of the damper lines up with the notch in the indicator for 0*. If it's within 4 or 5* it's probably OK too, cause finding the exact spot is hard just going by feeling. Let us know what you find. Hope this is more helpful this time.

 

Actually, I use the belt to turn the engine with the help of two 1/2" ratches, and a socket. The one with the socket, I used on the alternator and the other on the belt tensioner (instead of realeasing the belt, I put more tension and you don;t even have to remove all the plugs), just turn the engine clockwise. So anyway, when I turn the engine, the groove is at least 45* (that's forty five) before the 0 mark. This what I think is going on.

 

I agree with the previous post of fixing the original distributer. assuming you have the stock roller cam or an aftermarket roller cam you will need the proper gear. The correct GM gear is 10469459. it is kind of pricey($37.09 suggested retail). Along with the pick-up coil, I advise that the mainshaft be replaced too. These two items can be had at a delco supplier. The coil is a D1987, and the mainshaft uses the same Gm number as the delco number. That would be 10467353. good luck.

 

Good info, zz4mula! If you can't get that gear from GM, Summit and Jeg's carry them for about the same price. It's possible that the outer ring has slipped, but then you'd be at about 55* BTDC of timing and I honsetly don't think it will idle at that without dying (mine would start and then almost immediately die when I had it that far off once), but maybe with your setup it does. But that would also imply that the outer ring didn't slip until the time between when you got rid of the Proform and put the 'Zone distributor in, which may be an unlikely coincidence. If you really think the damper is shot, replace it or have it repaired, but I'd try rebuilding the stock distributor and getting my money back from the rebuilt one first.