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2.8 timing questions, trying to get one going. by DRA
Started on: 12-27-2003 06:57 PM
Replies: 7
Last post by: jgonzalez261 on 12-27-2003 09:53 PM
DRA
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Report this Post12-27-2003 06:57 PM Click Here to See the Profile for DRAClick Here to visit DRA's HomePageSend a Private Message to DRADirect Link to This Post
Quick background on the car. 1987 GT 2.8 auto. Car was bought with the seller assuring me that it would run fine but needed a distributor, I assumed nothing and bought the car not caring if it would run or not, figured if it did it would just be a bonus.

Replaced battery cables, the originals looked like someone cut them to remove the battery! LOL

With new battery in place the car turned over fine.

No spark from the coil.

Left my shop and went to the house to pick up a 2.8 dist and coil that were removed from a running engine with bad rod bearing.

Replaced coil, no spark.

Replaced dist, noting the originals rotor orientation and installing the replacement the same, spark achieved but car will not seem to fire.

Shot of starter fluid, backfire through throttle body.

Timing?

I am thinking that when standing behind the car the no. 1 cyl is the back right one, is this correct?
I removed the no.1 plug and using a socket wrench turned the number one to the top, correct?

Placed the distributor with the rotorpointed at no. 1 on the cap, right?

Tried the starter fluid again to see if I could get it to fire up for a split second and still had no luck, have moved the dist, a tiny bit each try.

Am I going about this all wrong or am I on the right track?

Motor turns over fine and there is spark, I can hear the fuel pump come on when the key is turned on. I am grounding the A and B on the ADL port. Figured if it was fuel delivery problem the started fluid would give it a short run. Haven't even bothered pulling out the timing light, on other cars I've owned I could usually get the thing running then do the fine tuning.

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JazzMan
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Report this Post12-27-2003 07:03 PM Click Here to See the Profile for JazzManSend a Private Message to JazzManDirect Link to This Post
Your identification of number one cylinder is correct. On GM, #1 is always the closest cylinder to the water pump end of the engine. When you turned to number one, did you have your finger in the spark plug hole so that you could feel compression? If not, then you may still be on the top of the exhaust stroke, that's not TDC. Because the cam turns at half the crank speed, there are two times that #1 comes to the top, and you want the one where pressure is being forced out the spark plug hole. Once you get close, look at the timing mark on the balancer and line it up with the timing tab.

Turn the distributor until the pole tips line up, like this:

and the #1 plug wires needs to be over the rotor tip inside the cap. It doesn't matter for now where that rotor tip is pointed, as long as the poles align, and whichever cap pole the rotor is under has the number one plug wire connected to it. The remaining firing order is 2-3-4-5-6 clockwise, and the cylinders are number 1-3-5 from the water pump end in the back, and 2-4-6 in the front.

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DRA
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Report this Post12-27-2003 07:45 PM Click Here to See the Profile for DRAClick Here to visit DRA's HomePageSend a Private Message to DRADirect Link to This Post
Thanks Jazz, your probably right, I didn't check to be sure that there was compression on the upstroke! I knew I was overlooking something, it's been a while.
I'll check it again when I go into the shop tomorrow, thanks.
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Philphine
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Report this Post12-27-2003 09:13 PM Click Here to See the Profile for PhilphineSend a Private Message to PhilphineDirect Link to This Post
i brought a formula last year and fought with a non firing situation about a week before i finally noticed the rotor was always in the same postion when i took the cap off. broke timing chain.
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DRA
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Report this Post12-27-2003 09:24 PM Click Here to See the Profile for DRAClick Here to visit DRA's HomePageSend a Private Message to DRADirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Philphine:

i brought a formula last year and fought with a non firing situation about a week before i finally noticed the rotor was always in the same postion when i took the cap off. broke timing chain.

Checked that before I ever put a cap on it, knock on wood! Should have mentioned that to start with along with the fact that I did pull the plugs and they weren't the prettiest I've ever seen but I've seen far worse fire up just fine.
Thanks for the response, it is something to be aware of.

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jgonzalez261
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Report this Post12-27-2003 09:36 PM Click Here to See the Profile for jgonzalez261Send a Private Message to jgonzalez261Direct Link to This Post
Good evening JAZZMAN. I was pretty impressed with the information you provided DRA, including the photo of, I assume its your engine in the photo. I just posted a question on a similar topic. I'm attempting to check/adjust the timing on my 86 SE, 2.8liter. I've already checked for the engine prep instructions, both under the engine lid and in my Haynes manual. I don't know how to determine what is 10 degrees BTC on the scale just above the harmonic balancer. Can you help me out with this??? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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JAG

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Hank is Here
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Report this Post12-27-2003 09:41 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Hank is HereSend a Private Message to Hank is HereDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by jgonzalez261:

Good evening JAZZMAN. I was pretty impressed with the information you provided DRA, including the photo of, I assume its your engine in the photo. I just posted a question on a similar topic. I'm attempting to check/adjust the timing on my 86 SE, 2.8liter. I've already checked for the engine prep instructions, both under the engine lid and in my Haynes manual. I don't know how to determine what is 10 degrees BTC on the scale just above the harmonic balancer. Can you help me out with this??? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Let see if I reall correctly. The on the scale I believe that the point nearest the trunk is 12deg, then the bottom of that point is 10 deg, the next point is 8 deg, and so on....basically if I recall correct every point on the scale is 4 deg. Does this help?

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jgonzalez261
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Report this Post12-27-2003 09:53 PM Click Here to See the Profile for jgonzalez261Send a Private Message to jgonzalez261Direct Link to This Post
Thanks Hank. So what you're telling me is that the first long point closest to the trunk is 12 degrees and the next one (short point) to the left of it is 10 degrees, and the next long point next to it is 8 degrees and so on. So when I point the Inductive timing light to the scale, the mark on the pully should line up with the 10 degree point, is this correct??

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