I have asked and received many answers on this car as i have been restoring it--this problem is baffling me--how can this be?
when my engine timing is set at factory spec or 0 degrees the car backfires hesitates and runs like crap--but fires up perfectly-- to get my car to run perfect i actually have to set it at 16 degrees yes sixteen !!! the engine is not original and was bought froma salvage yard but definately a 301-- now the problem is when i set the timing so the car runs great it barely starts and vice versa---i have tried a happy compromise but really the cra runs like garbage set any lower then this---i am running it at 14 degrees right now--but if i go over 60 mph it starts up----------what is going on--how can i fix this---almost every part on the engine is new --distributor cap-plugs -wires-(they are not crossed)
2007-11-15 00:11:52 · 3 answers · asked by sean 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Ok, you've got 1 of 2 items occuring here. The first is a worn timing belt, or a timing belt that was installed outside of TDC. If it's off by 1 tooth mark you'll experience all kinds of issues. If this is the case either replace the timing belt (if it was old) or make sure it's alignned properly....anytime you have to advance or retard timing by that much to get smooth operation the belt is either aligned wrong, worn badly, or the cam you chose (if you replaced it) is wrong.
The 2nd item is the camshaft...if it was replaced with something a bit "hotter" you're going to run into these issues. You can't replace a cam and not adjust anything else and expect it to run. At minimum you'd need electronically controlled ignition to dynamically control the timing (i.e. it will adjust itself based on engine speed, etc)
If you didn't replace the cam start with the timing belt and go from there.
Hope this helps!
2007-11-15 01:44:23 · answer #1 · answered by mrharris32 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a bad chain. Usually when you have to advance it more than just a couple of degrees, that's it. Take off the cap and watch the rotor. Now put a breaker bar on the vibration dampener and turn it back and forth. If you can move it at all and the rotor doesn't move; then the chain is stretched. If you don't change it soon, you might send the pistons into the valves and that's the end of it.
2007-11-15 08:38:15 · answer #2 · answered by Bob H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Timing chain is stretched? is it the original cam?
2007-11-15 08:15:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋