Help, i cant get timing right.

[WandererS30]

I dont know what i am doing wrong, i started the car up recently after some time now, and i replaced plugs and battery and distributor parts. I rough adjusted the timing buy turning the distributor till the engine sounded like its getting better. Is this not the correct thing to do? I turned it one way as far as the bolt would allow, and its still rough. It runs for about 30 seconds and then starts to shake a little and almost die. if i press the gas pedal the car dies. Is this a carburator problem?

could sombody tell me what i might do and also suggest a way to do it as i am not a pro at fixing cars.

thanks

[Ed]

You mentioned you replaced distributor parts, which ones?

Start at a base line. Insure the entire engine is properly timed. Set piston # 1 at TDC. Then check your distributor drive shaft (remove the two bolts that hold the distributor to the timing cover). And finally check your cam. Once you are 100% positive that those are o.k. you can move on to looking for other problems. If you turn your distributor all the way to either end then something is wrong it should be closer to the middle of the adjustment range. Once the car gets running let it run for a bit and get it warmed up a bit. Check plugs for one that might not be firing (loose wire).

[Blue Meanie]

Might try a timing light. That is the easiest way to check it. As for it dying, it could be a carb problem and they just might need adjusting. I would also take a peek at your fuel filter. That could be clogged and not letting gas through.

[WandererS30]

The distributor parts (points, rotor, cap) are what i replaced. fuel filter is good. The car's timing was set about 5 months ago, then it didnt run for 3 months due to lost key, so i got a new ignition switch. Now the timing doesnt seem to be easy to set. I am hoping it is just the carbs being difficult. Is there some sort of "default setting" for the carbs/timing to start at as a baseline before tuning to top performance? or maybe somone else has some input on what this might be.

[kenz240z]

Hi Wanderer, without knowing the history of the car and what's been done to it, it is hard to offer suggestions on where you need to start. What engine do you have? Carbs or fuel injection? A generic sequence of events is:

1. Adjust valves

2. Set ignition timing

3. Adjust carbs (skip if you have FI)

Use the search function on this site and you should be able to find a wealth of information on how to complete these steps. Keep in mind that the carbs are vacuum operated. If the valves are out of adjustment and the timing is off, the vacuum conditions will be off and can affect the operation of the carbs. That's why the carb adjustment is last on the list.

An engine needs three basic things to run: Fuel, Air, Spark. So, before tackling the three steps listed above you should verify that fuel delivery to the carbs is good, airflow is unrestricted, and each cylinder is getting a good spark. Thus, it is important to check and replace the fuel filter, fuel pump, distributor cap, rotor, points, spark plugs, plug wires, coil, and air filter. You've already done some of this.

Keep us posted, I hope you get it running soon!

[Ed]

Maybe when you were putting the spark plug wires on the cap you accidently messed up the correct order? Got your wires crossed?

[WandererS30]

perhaps so.. I have a 1971 with stock motor. l24 i believe. where can i find a diagram of correct plug wire order

[MikeW]

1-5-3-6-2-4

[Arne]

And when the distributor is installed correctly, number 1 should be pointing pretty much to the front of the car, perhaps just a touch towards the center. Call it about 9:00 to 9:30 when looking at the engine over the left fender.

[joefarnarkler]

If the car ran properly before you started working on it..... K.I.S.S.

make sure you:

installed the correct parts in the correct manner

adjusted the new points correctly

reinstalled the spark plug wiring correctly

use a timing light to set the timing correctly