Help me with my 94 Chevy

[eschoendorff]

Here she is...

Needed to change out my ign. coil, ing. module and - worst of all, my pick up coil. Meant that I had to take the distributor out. I marked everything and got it all back together - no SES light. But the truck runs rough and i am pretty sure taht my timing is a little off. I haven't used a timing light since I was 6 years old (helping dad) on a 76 Impala in 1981.

Here is what I have to work with:

But I cannot make out the markings on the timing indicator above the harmonic dampener - cannot event reach down there to rub it off.

I know I need to mark the timing indicator and the HB notch... I am not using an inductive timing light so I am going to sacrifice a spark checker and stick the probe into that instead. After I loosen the dist clam bolt, should I turn it slowly clockwise or ant-clockwise?

Thanks...

Ed

 

[wilbilt]

You need to warm it up, disconnect the bypass wire on the firewall and time it to the "0" mark.

Turn clockwise to advance, counter-clockwise to retard.

 

[chammyman]

turn the dizzy with the engine running, see where its the sweetest.

But before condeming the timing etc, is the engine ok? Good even compesion? valve gaps ok?

 

[Elroy]

But before condeming the timing etc, is the engine ok?

Come on, it's a Chevrolet.

 

[chammyman]

what does that mean? Only chevvies we have here end up getting crushed after 2/3 years. American cars are normally scrapped here after a few years unless they are classics. No one buys them.

GM Chevrolet have tried to recover their image over here by renaming Daewoo's Chevrolets. No one in britain likes amercian cars as we have yet to see a decent one!

 

[stioc]

Check the AutoZone (Alldata) repair procedures, one of the best resources and free. I buy most of my stuff from Autozone now because they support the DIYers by lending free tools and offering free repairs guides.

Here's the procedure for adjusting timing on the 5.7L C1500

http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleI...pping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c1528008eccb

Nice truck BTW, I love the mid eighties to mid nineties unpretentious trucks!

 

[paramudduck]

Gawd I need to go back to bed! Glanced at the pic and sat here for a few minutes trying to figure out why the top radiator hose was running into the air filter.

 

[krusty the clown]

you could try the vacuum method. disconnect the bypass wire, hook up a vacuum guage to manifold vacuum, advacs the timing until you get the highest reading then retard untill the reading drops 1".

 

[Elroy]

No one in britain likes amercian cars as we have yet to see a decent one!

Oh please, You call a re-badged Daewoo a Chevrolet.

Elroy remembers a winter back in 1977/78 where it got to -35 F. The Chevrolet started !!!!!!!

It was so damn cold that oil was leaking from the block at the oil filter. But the damn thing ran.

You need to stop driving down the wrong side of the road and realize they make good cars.

 

[wilbilt]

what does that mean? Only chevvies we have here end up getting crushed after 2/3 years. American cars are normally scrapped here after a few years unless they are classics. No one buys them.

They last forever here. I have an '88 C-1500 with 320,000 miles on it, although it is getting a bit tired.

 

[paramudduck]

I think I'm going to have to crush my S-10 Blazers. Stupid things just keep going.

Plus the electronics actually work right and no magic smoke!

 

[Elroy]

They last forever here. I have an '88 C-1500 with 320,000 miles on it

Hell that's just getting broke in for Chevy.

Let's ask eschoendorff how many miles that Chevy has on it and how much maintenance it has required in 14 years. Bet it kicks the **** right out of an Audi or a VW.

 

[stioc]

I think the trucks are what the American companies got right. Just don't talk about fuel efficiency, interior layout and design but the durability, strength, torque and basic functionalities are all there - built like tractors just the way the trucks should be.

They last forever here. I have an '88 C-1500 with 320,000 miles on it, although it is getting a bit tired.

We need pics!! there should be a thread for "post pics of your well abused trucks"

 

[chammyman]

lol ok this argument is going to be the usual americans are the best ever so lets try and make out that the brittish are stupid

 

[speed bump]

what does that mean? Only chevvies we have here end up getting crushed after 2/3 years. American cars are normally scrapped here after a few years unless they are classics. No one buys them.

GM Chevrolet have tried to recover their image over here by renaming Daewoo's Chevrolets. No one in britain likes amercian cars as we have yet to see a decent one!

After seeing what you ship over here, i'll take just about any chevy over a Land Rover since the Chevies fixable the Land Rover just needs to be redesigned from the ground up.

They last forever here. I have an '88 C-1500 with 320,000 miles on it, although it is getting a bit tired.

Yep, my dads 90 Suburban has 305,000 miles on it. It did need a new engine though becuase the computer decided to let it run rich, which on a TBI is a deal killer becuase it washes the oil off the cylinder walls. At the mine I worked at they had just replaced a 1/2" ton with a 4.3L that no matter what they did they couldn't kill. This truck had been abused so hard that the body was destroyed but it still started without being plugged in at -30°F and ran perfectly until they replaced it with a 3/4 ton.

 

[krusty the clown]

the idea that imported cars and trucks are better quality than domestics is pure and simple ********.........period.

 

[wilbilt]

We need pics!! there should be a thread for "post pics of your well abused trucks"

Here you go...

 

[krusty the clown]

lets try and make out that the brittish are stupid

no one said that........

 

[chammyman]

land rover or rover? Show me anyone that buys them in the uk with any sense? We love them as they are a constant wage and good for weighing in. Pensioners mostly bought them as they remember they had a P5 back in 68'

Land rovers, I hate them as well, a decent jap jeep is far better.

The UK is pretty **** for cars

 

[wilbilt]

lol ok this argument is going to be the usual americans are the best ever so lets try and make out that the brittish are stupid

Not at all. Different perceptions abound depending on your location and expectations, I guess.

We joke about British electrical systems and others make jest of our huge, overbuilt gas guzzlers.

 

[eschoendorff]

turn the dizzy with the engine running, see where its the sweetest.

But before condeming the timing etc, is the engine ok? Good even compesion? valve gaps ok?

Put it this way - she purred like a kitten before I fecked with the distributor. That is the only thing taht has really changed... and since putting the distributor back on, the engine doesn't sound or feel right -not much power and definitely not smooth.

 

[eschoendorff]

Check the AutoZone (Alldata) repair procedures, one of the best resources and free. I buy most of my stuff from Autozone now because they support the DIYers by lending free tools and offering free repairs guides.

Here's the procedure for adjusting timing on the 5.7L C1500

http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleI...pping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c1528008eccb

Nice truck BTW, I love the mid eighties to mid nineties unpretentious trucks!

Thanks for that link... taht was a good read!

Yah, I love my truck. It's old and has holes where it shouldn't, but it also shows 177,*** miles and still does what I ask it to do. Everyday.

 

[eschoendorff]

Hmm... as much as I enjoy the British-American bantering, can we get back to my problem? I need this truck to be back on the road tomorrow AM. Any of our service techs (who probably see this vintage truck and TBI system on a daily basis) have any last minute tips/tricks/advice?????

 

[stioc]

Hmm... as much as I enjoy the British-American bantering, can we get back to my problem? I need this truck to be back on the road tomorrow AM. Any of our service techs (who probably see this vintage truck and TBI system on a daily basis) have any last minute tips/tricks/advice?????

Mark the current distributor position in case you need to get back to it for reference. Then, just do it.

 

[MechanicforLife]

you could take out the number one spark plug, then with your thumb on the spark plug hole have a helper turn the crank with a wrench or whatever you got, turn it until you feel air pushing out of the hole, then you know the piston is TDP. Put your dristributor on and adjust it to idle right.

 

[krusty the clown]

Hmm... as much as I enjoy the British-American bantering, can we get back to my problem? I need this truck to be back on the road tomorrow AM. Any of our service techs (who probably see this vintage truck and TBI system on a daily basis) have any last minute tips/tricks/advice?????

run to town and get an inductive timing light so you know it's set right?

 

[autoace]

The tan and black wire harness on the fire wall, near the fuel pump relay cover needs to be unplugged to set your base timing. The base has to be set with a timing light, contrary to above posts; because, the computer has only 20 degrees of timing advance above the base, so if you add too much base timing, it won't run right. I hope you used quality products, the fuel injecters are pulsed off the ignition modules on the TBI motors. These engines are prone to timing chain failure due to their phenolic timing gears, so sometimes they slip valve timing or the chain stretches too much. On any this vintage Chevy you should replace the timing chain. You never told us what the original problem was, seems like you were trying to "blanket" fix it, maybe that wasn't the problem.A.A. Master ASE tech.

 

[csquared]

Talking about different perspectives, I found a good one for you guys. Jeremy Clarksen reviews the F-150 Lightning.

For those of you who have never heard of it, Top Gear is the most viewed car show on the planet (and now you've heard of it, you're welcome). And before I start a flameing contest - Top Gear is intended to be funny, so what you may take as offensive is said tounge-in-cheek.

<embed src="http://videos.streetfire.net/vidiac.swf?video=2e187d7b-4865-4805-9d30-9b140105ece0" width="428" height="352" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" />
<a href="http://videos.streetfire.net/video/2e187d7b-4865-4805-9d30-9b140105ece0.htm">057 Top Gear - Ford F150 SVT Lightning</a>

 

[autoace]

Caught your above post, besides what I said you need to set the engine to top dead center one, facing engine,first right bank cylinder. Take out the plug and you will get a puff of air when the piston rises with the valves closed,engine not running,use ratchet on crank. Mark where 1 is from the cap to the dist. housing, if it runs you are in the vicinity already. Mark the balancer and clean up the timing tab,make sure tan and black dist wire on firewall is unhooked. Hook timing light (after reassembly) to cyl. 1 plug wire. Start engine and set timing to what your emissions stickers says, sometimes a little more initial advance will help, but stick with specs to start with. once set, tighten dist. clamp and plug in the firewall dist harness in. YOU CANNOT RESET TIMING WITH THE DISTRIBUTOR HARNESS PLUGGED IN; BECAUSE, THE COMPUTER WILL KEEP TRYING TO ADVANCE OR RETARD, IT WILL ALSO LOSE ITS BASE SETTING. I.E. if you are say initally 10 degrees retarted on the distributor, the computer can only compensate to about 10 degrees advanced and the truck will fall flat on it's face. There are some Canadian models that have more than 20 degrees advance, but same principle. Get the damn truck running, if it doesn.t run right after the above, you f..ked something up in the distributor. A.A Master tech ASE

 

[eschoendorff]

Cool... only why does the timing light need to be inductive? I am going to us an adapter so the timing light probe will not pierce that actual plug wire....

Also, I used all NAPA ignition parts.

 

[autoace]

Cool... only why does the timing light need to be inductive? I am going to us an adapter so the timing light probe will not pierce that actual plug wire....

Also, I used all NAPA ignition parts.

I have never used, a timing light that pierced the wire, must be something old school

 

[eschoendorff]

truly old school... I borrowed one from an older gentleman. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a timing light around here when you need one.

Also.... you wouldn't happen to have a diagram of the timing marker on my engine (Vin K)? I can barely make out the marks....

 

[tatra]

to clean up the timing mark on the dampner nicely, do it from the bottom........ and use something like whiteout or nail polish to make them stand out...........as for the timing tab, long stick and scotchbrite tapes to it worked for me............btw , hoe long to remove the box and what did you use to lift it off?

 

[eschoendorff]

Thanks. I have some scotchbrite... now I just need to find a stick.

Actual time for the whole job (including whining and complaining) was less that two hours. There are eight 18mm bolts that hold the bed to the frame, two wiring harnesses at the tailgate and the the fuel filler neck.

I undid all the bolts and connectors, and then my neighbor's son (a lineman on our football team... 320lbs and not a "fat kid") and some friends lifted that sumbitch right off there....

 

[nissan_crawler]

I use chalk on timing marks. My suggestion, if possible, is to only mark your 0* spot, then get a timing gun that you can dial the timing onto the gun. That way, you're only concerned about one easy to see mark on the balancer. Set your gun to the recommended timing, and when you're on the 0* mark, you're good to go.

 

[vssjim]

The timing bypas maybe behind the glove box taped to the wire harness

 

[rhandwor]

You need either to buy a manual or go to a library and copy the section on timing. The vehicle won't run properly if the timing is off. I use white out to make the timing marks its easier to read. Use an inductive timing light on number one cylinder.

 

[eschoendorff]

You need either to buy a manual or go to a library and copy the section on timing. The vehicle won't run properly if the timing is off. I use white out to make the timing marks its easier to read. Use an inductive timing light on number one cylinder.

You didn't read any of the posts above yours, did you?

Anyway, my timing is all set and the truck is back together ready for tomorrow. Thanks everyone!!!!

 

[eschoendorff]

So... what ended up being the problem? Were you changing a fuel pump and then the distributor? Don't mean to be a pest, just a little unclear... everythings peachy keen now? Runs great?

Nope... two unrelated problems hat happened to coincide. And, after a little tweak to the timing, everything runs well. Thanks everyone!

 

[Uncle Buck]

what does that mean? Only chevvies we have here end up getting crushed after 2/3 years. American cars are normally scrapped here after a few years unless they are classics. No one buys them.

GM Chevrolet have tried to recover their image over here by renaming Daewoo's Chevrolets. No one in britain likes amercian cars as we have yet to see a decent one!

Man, my daily driver is a 4 door 1968 Chevelle with about 100K on the clock. I tag it as an antique for $17.00 a year and insure it for a song. BTW, I also have my old 72 Chevy PU with about 250K on the clock still doing daily service as well! I should also mention my 1986 GMC PU with most of 200K on the clock and still going strong. Perhaps you chaps just have not been able to figure the GM/Chevys out. You just cannot kill em!