O.k., I checked the timing and it was at like 20* BDTC. So I set it back to like 10* and it sounded like sh**, so I took it back to like 12* or so. When I took it out to test it, it felt like it had lost a lot of power. I know that advancing the timing a little can give a little more power, is that it, or do I have a bad timing chain or something? If it's just a thing with the timing advance, then how much advance can I safely give it before running into trouble? I used to be able to spin the tires through a whole intersection, now i can't even break trackion at all. Thanks, Joe

 

Ok first off did you dissconnect the EST wire? Brown wire w/white strip on passenger side strut tower?

second the book says 10*. My car HAS NEVER LIKED THAT. I set mine to 12-13* and have had no problems.

 

disconnect the EST wire and recheck it. i made the same mistake the first time i did my timing, and i think it turned out to really be at like 6 BTDC after i changed it. after that, i set it to 12, and it ran great

 

I did two things, first I put a jumper between terminals a and b on the ALDL. I checked the timing and everything and it was at like 20*. Then I disconnected what I *think* was the EST wire. It was coming out of the same loom that held the primary power to the coil. The wire colors were kinda faded, so I wasn't sure if it was the tan with white stripe wire. Was that not the right connector?

 

Here's what ya do.
Take the distb, loosen, crank it towards the firewall.
Your chain is shot.
800-831-0884 Northern Auto Parts
$50-ish, delivered
NEW timing chain, water pump, gasket set.
Add thermo & you're pretty well set for Summer!!
It is a suck **** job but PRIMO RESULTS!
Next on list should be distributor rebuild & coil replacement.
You'll be pleased!
Promise

 

I think you disconnected the wrong wire. The EST connector is TAN with a BLACK stripe(not a white stripe like you mentioned) and should run right along the passenger strut tower. There is a similar wire near the coil....that's not it.

If you backed it off 10 degrees, you're probably running around 0 degrees advanced and engines do not make any power with zero/retarded timing.

 

One other thing to consider- I've heard many people say their motors almost died at the stock 10 degrees advance, yet, others (including mine) runs fine. I believe it has to do with the outer ring of the balancer slipping, and throwing off the timing mark. If you bring your #1 piston up to TDC, the timing mark should line up exactly with the "0" degree mark on the timing tab. If not, either replace the balancer (all are neutral-balanced for the 2.8/3.1 motors), OR, make a new mark on the balancer for the proper 0 deg advance at #1 TDC.

Oh yeah, and remember that #1 is the frontmost passenger side cylinder on the 2.8/3.1/3.4 motors.

What year is your car?

 

Thanks for all the help guys. TomP, it's an 88. Now if the timing chain is shot, can I relplace just that? I've just had to replace the heater core, idler arm, and it's going in for an alignment tomorrow, so I'm looking at quite a bit of money in a short time (I"m a college student=no money). That, and I"m getting sick of having to replace four million things on my car Thanks, Joe

 

Best band aid is loosen and twist distributor toward firewall.
You need a balancer puller.
Beyond that gaskets & parts.
It's a long day job.

 

Okay, so with the '88, you just have one mark on the balancer. (82-86 balancers have three marks, on 85-86 models, the widest mark should be used to reference TDC of cyl #1).

If you were running at 20 advance for a while, I'd suspect some spark plug damage. Did you pull the plugs and check 'em out? I ran overadvanced for a long time and didn't know it; when I couldn't figure out why my car wasn't starting, I checked the plugs- one plug had NOTHING in the center of it! No center electrode, no porcelain insulator, nothing- just a deep hole. To this day, that's the cylinder with the lowest compression #s.

Did you try resetting the computer after putting the timing back to 12 degrees?

Have you inspected the distributor cap's inside terminals & rotor for excessive corrosion?

How's the (gasp!) fuel pressure?

 

Oh yah, and I replaced my chain a while ago. I bought the Cloyes true dual roller chain from Summit for $90 (included both sprockets and chain). I bought a Felpro timing chain gasket for $30, and did the work. I needed a "universal ducks-foot puller" for the balancer. I needed a 3-jaw gear puller to remove the old crank gear. It was a first class bitch to scrape the old gaskets off the timing chain cover- the chain cover is aluminum, and gouges very easily. Make sure gasket material doesn't drop into your oil pan.

TIP: Do NOT use the crankshaft center bolt to draw the balancer onto the crank!!!! I snapped mine in half trying to do that- and the half in the crank wouldn't come out. It's still in there. My mechanic welded my balancer to the crankshaft. That was at 180,000 miles... it's now 230,000 miles, and still going strong. Install the balancer using the "NEVER DO THIS" method of tapping the center of the balancer with a hammer. Tap lightly, you don't want the balancer to **** sideways on the crank snout.

 

It turns out that I had infact disconnected the wrong connector, so when I thought I was setting the base timing the computer was still in control. I finally got the right connector and when I checked it with the timing light, it was at like 2*, ouch. So I bumped it back to 12 and now it's running like it used to. Thanks for all your help guys!

 

 

hi i need help i have the same problem i have a camsro 1989 2.8 v6. im setim the time at 10 like they say. i disconect the tan black cable on the passenger side with a white conector. the disconect the battery to erace codes but when i pluget again and rum the emgine time go back 20. its always doing that. any anwer of why?
could it be the ignition module?

 

That is what it is supposed to do. No issues here.

RBob.