Timing issue... can anybody help?

[Schiffy]

I've got a buddy with a '95 Cobra, he has installed a 331 stroker from Texas hot Rods. We were doing everything we could yetserday to start the car, but it won't fire... it just turns over... we know we have fuel, and we know we have spark, so we said screw it, we adjusted the timing so that his distributor matched MINE on my '95... it turned over and started to fire up, then died... we don't have a timing light, this is like shadetree/redneck mechanics, but it's all we got.
Can anyone offer any info that will help us get the car to start? we know the battery is dead, the damn thing wouldn't turn over unless it was being jumped by my car. So we need to get it started so he can let the battery charge up. any idea's on where to start? a certain way to set the distributor and rotor? by the way, number 1 piston was TDC, and the timing was set to factory timing based off of my '95 GT. :dunno:

 

[quickstang_1994]

you need a timing light

 

[Schiffy]

Thank you captain obvious... any help other than what we ALREADY know would be great.

 

[Sn95Willis]

We did the same thing on my car till we got a light... Just turn the dis slowly till its cranks... Thats what we did..

 

[Schiffy]

We did the same thing on my car till we got a light... Just turn the dis slowly till its cranks... Thats what we did..

Where are you from? I saw the Texans Logo in your Sig. I Grew up in Houston, was wondering if you were from there.

 

[quickstang_1994]

I was saying that for safety you can easily blow a motor up by adding to much timing. you can turn it all the way to the left and slowly go right until it starts. did you put it on #1 tdc on compression stoke? you could be 180 off.

 

[Schiffy]

I was saying that for safety you can easily blow a motor up by adding to much timing. you can turn it all the way to the left and slowly go right until it starts. did you put it on #1 tdc on compression stoke? you could be 180 off.

Yeah, #1 was at TDC, they got in running, but it's running like shit... He's called up a few places in the area now that it's atleast running, and trying toi see if they can get it in today and straighten it all out...

 

[Sn95Willis]

Yea i live in Baytown TX..

 

[Schiffy]

Yea i live in Baytown TX..

I grew up on the Northwest side of Houston, about 15 miles from Willowbrook Mall. I lived off FM 529/HWY 6, or easier to locate, i live exactly dead center between 290 and I-10 on HWY 6... probably be back there in a year or so when my enlistment is up here in the Navy. going to be going to School of Automotive Machinists then, while the wife looks for a job at one of the hospitals...

 

[Sn95Willis]

Cool good deal.. Did you post on any other site under a diff name???

 

[Schiffy]

Cool good deal.. Did you post on any other site under a diff name???

no, i was to lazy... I just posted here... I come here more than anywhere these days... i just frequent a few other sites every couple days...

 

[quickstang_1994]

Did you get it fixed?

 

[Mr. OAM]

Usually with the #1 cylinder on TDC (verify you have #1 cylinder, the correct side of the engine) on compression stroke, and you know it is on compression stroke because you left the plug out and felt the compression with your finger, You drop in the distributor in such a position that the rotor lines up with the location of the #1 post. This usually gets the engine to start, sometimes you need to turn the distributor slightly in the advance direction to get it to fire. After all, an engine never runs without some advance. Once the engine starts you can get it to run well enough to then be able to put a timing light on it, or at least break in the cam (flat tappet lifters, yeah, old school).


You said "we adjusted the timing so that his distributor matched MINE on my '95". How can you possibly do that if the engine was not running?

Rule of thumb.... #1 at TDC on compression stroke, distributor rotor pointing at #1 post, vacuum advance disconnected (connector disconnected on newer cars) and then crank and start, then turn distributor until engine smooths out. After engine is sounding good put a timing light on it and THEN set initial timing.


There may be other issues with your car since it is computer controlled.

Steve

 

[Schiffy]

Did you get it fixed?

Yes, he had it towed from my house (where it drove till he fucked with it) and had a place called Steen Performance fix it for him. $150 later(includiong towing) it was running like a bat out of hell...


Mr Oam, I think you found the problem, he was setting TDC on the Exhuast stroke... we wuold pass the compression up... I know nothing of timing, so I just watched and let him use my tools, and take up half my driveway.

When I say we looked at mine... we just made sure the plug wires were all the same, and put the post for #1 in the same place as what my GT had... either way, neither of us really knew what we were doing, and he wouldn't spend the money on a timing light, so he coughed up $150 to have a shop do it.

 

[quickstang_1994]

I was saying that for safety you can easily blow a motor up by adding to much timing. you can turn it all the way to the left and slowly go right until it starts. did you put it on #1 tdc on compression stoke? you could be 180 off.

I glad its fixed

 

[Schiffy]

I was saying that for safety you can easily blow a motor up by adding to much timing. you can turn it all the way to the left and slowly go right until it starts. did you put it on #1 tdc on compression stoke? you could be 180 off.

I glad its fixed

I'm glad it's fixed too... I was getting pissed when the POS broke down in my driveway.