Super20G

Well,

My car died while driving as some of you all read a few weeks ago.

Turned out to be the crank angle went bad. I got a used distributor from a junkyard(dude, the car has 245K, hehe, no need for a new one) and took it to a local shop to have them install it cause of lack of time.

Well, when I go up a hill or put and kind of load on the engine, it sounds like multiple misfires, definately loses power like a timing thing, what do you all think? Could they have it off a tooth, anyone got a distributor off a tooth and had these symptoms?

I had them repair and reinstall the starter too cause it was eating up the flywheel, but thats all I had them do, and I didnt have this problem before on this car. I had it do that on my eclipse, but I have an accel DFI on that car and it was just loading up on fuel.

edit: the car seemed to drive fine for a day or 2, but last night when i was banging on it it started the timing/misfire stuff like it jumped a tooth, or the distibutor slid a little sideways...


Any help is much appreciated,

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

Is your car knocking at all? The problem could be the timing is set to advanced, or to retarded. You might want to play with the timing a little to see what it does.

S

Super20G

it was doing ok for a few days, and now when i start it, the idle bounces up and down, then dies... then repeats that till i start it and give it gas and keep it going for a few seconds, then its mellows out some and only acts up under mid load or more,,, then it just sputters and there is a big loss of power until i back off the pedal till it doesnt do it, then i keep my foot there and let it very slowly build up speed.... its either do that, or have it sputtering and falling on its ***...

Can I play with the timing by just loostening that bolt that holds the distributor in place and sliding the distributor from side to side? maby that came loose or something, i dont know but traffic behind me tends not to like me...

MaxWgn

iTrader: (1)

Yes, timing can do all of these things. With the engine running, try loosening the hold down bolt, and twisting the distrib SLOWLY, either direction, and see if it seems to smooth out. If so, get your timing properly set, using a timing light, and following either FSM or the procedure in the Chiltons manual...do not use the Haynes for setting your timing.

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

What you should do, get a hold of these, haynes, chilton, or factory service manual, and look up the procedure to adjusting the timing. Try to get it the factory setting for that, and work from there. Basically what you said will work, you have loosen the screws and rotate the distributor, but because careful and make small adjustments.

Next thing you want to check is the condition of the AIV valve. If that goes bad, you would get some of the symptoms your having. Basically what happens is when the valve goes bad, it dumps water into the airbox. This water goes through your MAF sensor and essentially kills it. Basically a good way to check is to pop your air filter cover off, and look at the bottom of the airbox. If you see water, that is bad news. Immediately disconnect the air hose on the airbox that goes to the valve, it'd be the hose right next to the strut tower. Also get water out.

Let us know what you did/find.

S

Bleach

Sounds like the vaccume advance is not working right.
That could definatly be the problem considering you got the distributor used. Take off the cap and see if the rotor turns smoothly with your hand a few degrees.

Super20G

Well, I guess since I paid a shop to do this, I might as well take it back to them, they can get me in on monday they said, will it hurt me to drive on it until then? I plan to take it easy, not try to make it misfire repeadidly, just didnt know if it would mess anything up:-)

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

As long as she isn't knocking, you should be okay, don't try to demand to much though. :P

S

Super20G

No, it drives pretty smoothly under normal driving most of the time, i just get into trouble going up steep hills and trying to pass cars or speed up quick... So I'll just stay in the slow lanes and relax till Monday, hehe. It seems to be if the car is cold, it drives fine all the time, but after its warmed up nicely, then the misfires come on more frequently..

Super20G

well, the shop said i needed a new distributor cap. I replaced it and drove around the block and it drove fine, i'll drive to school tomorrow and know if the problems fixed or not. the cap looked good inside, not too worn down, so i dunno. I'll update this and let you all know. thanks again

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

You'd be real suprised how much of a difference a cap and rotor can make. Either way, have you touched the timing at all?

S

Super20G

No, i didnt touch the timing... the guy at the shop that did the work acted kinda mad i questioned his work. But then after he told me it was the distributor cap I asked him why he didnt check that while the distributor was apart? or why he didnt use my distributor cap off the other distributor and he said he just didnt check, that he was payed to install the distributor and he did so.. hehe, i know where i'm not going again.