NEED HELP WITH CUTLASS

[toysandtrux]

I just signed up joined the forum today. I have a 87 MC SS and a 84 Cutlass Supreme. I just bought the Cutlass for a daily driver and now it has turned into a major headache. The cutlass has a 305, HEI distributor and rochester carb.

I noticed the voltage dropped and was draining my battery, so I had the alternator checked it was bad. I replaced it with a new one, drove it home, ran perfect all the way home. The next morning the car wouldn't start. It would turn over but wouldn't start. I checked the #1 spark plug for fire and there was no spark. I changed the module in the distributor and still no spark. I had a fairly new distributor, cap, rotor and coil in my garage that I used to replace everything for trouble shooting purposes. After replacing that I had spark, but the engine idles rough and will backfire through the carb. I changed all spark plugs, no change. I pulled the valve cover and started from scratch with rotating the engine to TBC on compression stroke and checking the rotor position, all good, dead on #1. It will start and idle, rough, but it idles. Slowly press the gas and it will pop through the carb. I even held the gas pedal to the floor and the engine will not rev over 2900-3200 rpm's. I ran a compression test and the range is 140-150 on all 8.

This is a bone stock motor. I'm not sure if it's a cam problem or timing chain problem. Can the carb be causing this issue?


Thanks,
Mark

 

[jeremys442]

Got your plug wires in the right order on the distributor and/ or at the plugs?

 

[toysandtrux]

I check them twice and for back up I had a local mechanic come by the house to check the plug wires. He went over everything with me and said it sounded like a worn cam lobe or a sticking vavle, but it started this basically over night, no warning.

 

[wonderboy24]

sounds like timimg prob,whether the engine jumped time. did you use a timing gun to make sure you had it correct? turn the distributor when running and see if there is a difference.

 

[toysandtrux]

I did not use a timing light. When I had the engine at TBC and the rotor pointing in the correct direction I started the car and it started right up. I turn the distributor one direction it idles up and the other direction it wants to stall. No matter what direction you turn it (advance or retard) it does the same thing. It will not rev over 2900-3200 rpm and spits through the carb and sometimes you get bad valve chatter. It seems to get worse as the engine warms up.

This has whipped me to the point of pulling the engine and dropping a 350 in... :evil:

 

[RUDE DOG]

Ran into a similar problem it turned out to be the pickup coil wiring, barely had any wires connected they had corrosion deposits eating the wires. I put a new one and it started up and ran better than ever. This was on an 84 cutty.

 

[iameggor]

I had a bad pick up also it was causing allot of weird problems. It made my timing jump all over the place by ten degrees. I would start there and maybe get a good delco one if you can find it.

 

[DoubleV]

I did not use a timing light.

You need to.

When I had the engine at TBC and the rotor pointing in the correct direction I started the car and it started right up.

What is TBC?

I turn the distributor one direction it idles up and the other direction it wants to stall.

That would make sense. Turning it one way would advance the timing and give a better idle and turning it the other way would retard the timing and make the idle rough/stall.

No matter what direction you turn it (advance or retard) it does the same thing.

I must be missing something here because this contradicts what you just said above no?

This has whipped me to the point of pulling the engine and dropping a 350 in... :evil:

As long as it's an Olds 350 instead of a Chubby, then great! Keep in mind of course you may still have the same problem with a different engine if it's a tuning issue and you don't know how to tune it.

 

[toysandtrux]

I did not use a timing light.

You need to.
Why? Is it impossible to get an engine to run without popping through the carb and drive somewhat smooth without a timing light? Just asking, because I dont normally fool around with old school engines. I would have jumped on my laptop and adjusted the timing curve on my last engine.

When I had the engine at TBC and the rotor pointing in the correct direction I started the car and it started right up.

What is TBC?
Sorry TDC

I turn the distributor one direction it idles up and the other direction it wants to stall.

That would make sense. Turning it one way would advance the timing and give a better idle and turning it the other way would retard the timing and make the idle rough/stall.
Correct...If I adjust the distributor a quarter of an inch each time in one direction to the point where the vac advance hits the trans tube nothing changes with how the car runs other than the idle increases, but still pops and no power. Turn the distributor a quarter of an inch at a time the other direction to the point where the vac advance hits the intake the car eventually stalls, but until that point it still pops and no power. It's like the engine will not time at all..