Ha!

[Rupert]

It's really more sad than funny, my story here.

When I bought the Trooper, the guy told me that he had adjusted the timing by ear because his timing light broke in the process. I checked the timing today, to find that it was at about 22 degrees BTDC, when it's supposed to be 10 degrees BTDC. I took off the air cleaner and two of the three vaccum hoses connected to it to get to the distributor. I loosened the distributor bolt a little so that I may move it. Long story short, Iit slipped waaay too far (engine was not running, as I was just making sure it was movable). I moved it back to where I thought it was.

I started the truck with a little gas pedal action. It almost died, then the idling rpms went up a couple thousand. I shot the light to discover that the timing was about a million degrees after TDC, so I moved (maybe a little too fast, but I thought I was going pretty slow) the distributor so the timing started going back to where it was supposed to be, but it stalled and didn't wanna restart. I moved the distributor back in the direction it came (that is, I moved the timing after TDC more) bit by bit. I got the truck running, but it was belching black smoke and needed a constant foot on the gas, so I shut it off after a few seconds.

The owner of the gray Nova in the background in my new truck thread knows his engines, and he was over, so I got his help to get the timing right. He says it's now set to 12 degrees BTDC (I was keeping the thing running, so I didn't see). It wasn't idling right before it stalled off (rarther, it stalled as soon as my foot was off the gas), and now it won't start. I reconnected the vaccum lines, hoping for a miracle, but no change. Nova dude had to go, so I left it. He'll come back tomorrow, but the more minds the better.

Notes: It may have been belching black smoke when I first started it after knocking the distributor off, or when the timing was set right, but it was dark, I was in the truck, and I couldn't see. After the distributor got knocked, it sounded like it was running kinda rough, and very fast, but it didn't stall until I moved the timing. It turns over fine, and I was giving it gas, but when I did, it stopped turning over as well. The intake was smoking after all that.

Any ideas or advice (not, "stop being an idiot Psilos!")?

The words of the evening are shit, fuck, and oi.

[TBR]

Word of advice: Stop buying and selling cars, it just never seems to work out for you.

[Rupert]

Seriously. I think I have the worst car luck. Fucking shit...

[The Pirate]

Seriously. I think I have the worst car luck. Fucking shit...

At the risk of being Captain Obvious, have you checked online for a forum related to Chevy 2.8L engines and/or quirks with them?  I find that in scenarios like you are in, the culprit is usually some mundane little detail that is way too easily overlooked.  Other than that, I can't really offer much in the line of assistance.  Good luck though.

[Rupert]

Hehehe... I'm afraid the title of Capt. Obvious has long since been handed out.

I actually haven't done more research yet, but I've been assuming it is in fact some little detail. That's how my luck seems to run.

[Rupert]

I posted pretty much the same thing in the Automotive Forums' Chevy S-10 section, as I think that gets more traffic than the Trooper section.

[VTEC_Inside]

Did you reconnect all those vacuum lines before you actually started making adjustments?

Is it possible that the cap or rotor got damaged in the process? I'd pop the cap off and check to see if everything looks ok.

[Rupert]

I suppose it's possible... I give it a shot.

Thanks!

[Rupert]

Oh, and no, the vaccum lines were disconnected throughout the thing, until the very end. I couldn't get to the distributor with the air cleaner in the way, and I couldn't move the air cleaner with the short vaccum lines attached.

[VTEC_Inside]

Oh, and no, the vaccum lines were disconnected throughout the thing, until the very end. I couldn't get to the distributor with the air cleaner in the way, and I couldn't move the air cleaner with the short vaccum lines attached.

I know when I pull the air cleaner off my Accord I have to plug at least 2-3 vacuum lines that were attached to it or it runs like a bag of shit.

Perhaps you had a self imposed vacuum leak that you were unaware of. I'm guessing that none of those lines were for vacuum advance of the distributor?

[Rupert]

I have no idea... I didn't think of plugging the lines until tonight, but I have no golf tees, at it woulda made no difference.

Anyway... Contrary to popular belief, I am not the worlds biggest dummy (anymore). It runs! The PO put a new distributor in it, but he must have got it a cog or two off. The timing I was seeing was not actually the engine's timing. After taking off the cap and rotor and doing some spark tests stupidly, and fretting and thinking very hard, we ended up just putting the distributor back where it originally was (more or less) and starting it right up. She runs just fine, at that. I dunno if the timing is exactly right yet because it idles high (where it was before this incident), but we'll fix that later when he comes back.

*whew*

[AutobahnSHO]

I have no idea... I didn't think of plugging the lines until tonight, but I have no golf tees, at it woulda made no difference.

Anyway... Contrary to popular belief, I am not the worlds biggest dummy (anymore). It runs! The PO put a new distributor in it, but he must have got it a cog or two off. The timing I was seeing was not actually the engine's timing. After taking off the cap and rotor and doing some spark tests stupidly, and fretting and thinking very hard, we ended up just putting the distributor back where it originally was (more or less) and starting it right up. She runs just fine, at that. I dunno if the timing is exactly right yet because it idles high (where it was before this incident), but we'll fix that later when he comes back.

*whew*

Good to hear!
Nothing like fixing what wasn't broken..  LOL

[Rupert]

No kidding!

[Eye of the Tiger]

I was going to say, I've turned the distributors all the way in both directions on three of the cars I've had and they still ran ok. My redneck truck is still giving me trouble though. Maybe the distributor is off like yours was, but if it's the carb then I'm taking it to my mechanic. IH8CARBS

[VTEC_Inside]

..., but if it's the carb then I'm taking it to my mechanic. IH8CARBS

You find me a mechanic that fully understands the carb system on my Accord, I'll give you a cookie.

Its not really all THAT complicated if you have the right service manual...

Who am I kidding, its a f#%king nightmare, but I've managed to keep mine running somewhat properly....

[Rupert]

Carbs are very much evil.

So the guy that's been helping me might not be able to tonight. I wanna get that timing set ASAP, so I can drive it this weekend. I'm not really sure what to listen for, though. Before I started screwing with it, the idle was about 1500 rpm. Yesterday after I got it running, I moved the timing a little in either direction, and the idle speed changed. Is that a reliable way to set timing? THe Haynes manual I have doen't have a way to set the idle speed independantly... I'd like to have the engine idling at 900 or so rpm, as that's more like where it's supposed to be. When I set the timing so the idle speed was about 900 rpm, though, the engine sounded like crap. Of course, that was on a cold engine, so that could be it.

Thanks as usual!

[VTEC_Inside]

Carbs are very much evil.

So the guy that's been helping me might not be able to tonight. I wanna get that timing set ASAP, so I can drive it this weekend. I'm not really sure what to listen for, though. Before I started screwing with it, the idle was about 1500 rpm. Yesterday after I got it running, I moved the timing a little in either direction, and the idle speed changed. Is that a reliable way to set timing? THe Haynes manual I have doen't have a way to set the idle speed independantly... I'd like to have the engine idling at 900 or so rpm, as that's more like where it's supposed to be. When I set the timing so the idle speed was about 900 rpm, though, the engine sounded like crap. Of course, that was on a cold engine, so that could be it.

Thanks as usual!

Definitely let it warm up first and then do your adjustments.

The choke alone could raise it 2000rpm or more if its on. Assuming its an auto.

[S204STi]

Fun!   

I wouldn't touch it with  a ten foot pole, unless I had a timing light and even then I may still get lost.  Not much experience with that myself either.

[Rupert]

It's not a manual choke, if that's what you mean...

R-inge,
Hehe, at this point, a timing light will do more harm than good, since the distribotor is off center.

[ro51092]

You should have kept the Miata.

[Rupert]

Yeah, but then I couldn't have moved all my shit six hours away twice...

[TBR]

Sure you could have, it would've just taken a few trips.

[Rupert]

Like, six or seven...

[VTEC_Inside]

Could have gotten one of these:



:)

[Rupert]

Naw, Miatas need no trailers...

[AutobahnSHO]

It's not a manual choke, if that's what you mean...

R-inge,
Hehe, at this point, a timing light will do more harm than good, since the distribotor is off center.

Many cars have automatic chokes- you have to wait until the car completely warms up before they start idling at a 'regular' speed.  I had a Honda that idled really really high until it was warmed up.  And if you just let it sit and warm up it would keep high idle all day, until you hit the gas pedal a little, then it would come down.

See if you can get an owner's manual for the truck- there's always good info there..

[VTEC_Inside]

Thats what my Accord does. Idles at about 1800rpm cold, then will rise to 2500rpm if you don't tap the gas. There are about 3 steps from full high to normal idle.

I've had trouble where the choke would not open at all until it was about fully warmed up. Car ran great for the instant that it started and then ran like a bag of shit spewing black smoke for the next 3-5min.

I could start a whole 'nother thread about the fun I've had with that thing.

[Rupert]

My old Novarolla did that...

[Raza]

Carbs are very much evil.

I agree.  I only take about 60-80 grams a day.

[VTEC_Inside]

Har Har.