baccaruda

i'll be trying it again without the vacuum advance checked.. HTKYSA only said (i think) to disconnect the dist harness.. should i still do that? i haven't checked the ECU yet.. not a bad idea though. i'll try the timing again first though. thanks..

oh, and i seafoamed the engine today (love watching all that smoke ) and had a little smoke coming out around (under) the turbo, so I might be changing the downpipe to turbo gasket soon.. i doubt this would be enough of a power loss to affect all this, would it???

the line with the padding on it goes in back. the fuel filter line goes in the middle. the other line goes in front. i had to check on this a couple times when engine swapping too

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhh i can't figure out the timing problem my car has. -lack of power -ping under load -harder to start than it should be I'm checking the timing with the distributor wiring harness unplugged like HTKYSA says to do. I'm leaving the vacuum line hooked up as HTKYSA didn't mention disconnecting it. The timing is reading like 60deg BTDC. I don't think the distributor is in the wrong gear because i've rotated it one tooth either way and the car won't run, and when I take the bolts out of the dist mounts and rotate it past the mounting ears, the car dies before it gets to 20deg BTDC. The car is an 86 GL10 turbowagon with 5 speed. the wiring is from same; the engine is 87 XT turbo with 10,000 miles on it since a rebuild so I don't think the timing belts are off... I ditched the distributor from the 87 XT engine because it was the optical kind with no vacuum advance, and I'm using the stock distributor for my car. I'm considering: *new coil/cap/rotor/wires (not optimistic about this fix though) *distributor is not properly compatible with this engine (are the XT cams different or something? not optimistic about this fix either) *worn distributor (this was never a problem before my stock engine died though) *I don't know where the #1 cylinder is (front right, next to the oil fill tube... or was it front left? ) *run premium to help with the ping before i chase the timing problem? What do I do? Sincerely, Confused

thanks guys.. it didn't give me too much trouble today so i'm going to concentrate on the timing weirdness instead for now.

the alternator is NEW i will probably start by checking the grounds.. i can't remember at the moment where i grounded the main engine wiring harness at because i didn't want to remove an intake bolt to ground it in the stock location... the nor remembering is bugging me but i don't know if that's my imagination torturing me or what.. extra grounds? like finding better spots for the stock grounds? where did you add yours, caleb? thanks

driving home tonight.. digidash starts CLICKING like something rattling around.. sounded like a handfull of ball bearings being rolled around in a tin can.. dash is flickering. temp gauge was pegged at high even though car was cold; also the turbo light was on whenever the car was moving but flickered on and off at a stop.. also, maybe urelated? .. car died a couple times at stoplights.. RPMs dropped and died. I don't have the timing set right yet but that hasn't been a problem so far. any ideas?

yeah, i think there's some info to be shared (info = headaches) hehe..now i'm off to tune the distributor in!

heh. not with the timing off.. i have to turn the distributor shaft a whole click CW before i can set it right...

i just drove my car home! gotta tweek the timing a little as it looks like it's running 50 deg BTDC but i got tired of playing with the distributor in the cold and dark so i'll do it tomorrow when it's cold and light it sounds mean as hell with the spider intake and catless exhaust. giggled all the way home. short throw shifter feels good too.. now i just have to do the front brake pads (again, sure go thru them fast driving pizza), fix the loose PW switch on the rear left door, fix the leaky diff seal, etc etc etc ad infinitum... thanks to all who helped with advice and such.

hmm, that sounds allright.. thanks!

I have a set of Gen 3 heads that I'm in negotiations to sell to someone here.. they both have only one set of valves with a small crack between the valves. My buyer is understandably concerned about this as I'm selling the heads as-is... how would any of you feel about using heads with cracks as i've described? and this type of cracking can be repaired, right?

so my car's been sitting for a month. I hope to start it tomorrow after putting in the radiator and setting the timing.. but there's a little puddle of gear oil under the rear differential. I'm aware that seals can shrink and leak a little when a car isn't used.. the leak is at the front of the diff where the case receives the input from the driveshaft. Might I expect this leak to go away when I drive the car regularly again? I have no problem with getting an open 3.7 diff and swapping my LSD pumpkin over, but i thought I'd ask if this is likely to be a permanent problem? and yes I'll top it off before driving regardless thanks

i need new transmission mounts (EA82) as well.. and i wouldn't mind upgrading from stock rubber at all...

try flushing it with dex ATF a couple times his week.. i don't know enough about power steering to know how bad it is for your car long term. you might end up changing the pump and/ or rack though.. good luck

hehe. i have to wonder how long (weather or thieves) those would last on the outside of that guy's car anyway.

isn't it great to have it done, tony? congrats. if that engine's been sitting for a while you should give it the seafoam treatment, clean that old gunk out.

have you seen the original Roof Of Boom?

that looks pretty cool. i'd think that you do need the ECU plugged in..

yeah, they're even more rare than real RXes. someone has a maroon not-RX for sale here in spovegas for $1200...

oh, and you DID use dexron ATF and not "power steering fluid," didn't you? if the label fell off your PS cap it would be an easy mistake to make..

actually, i'm used to the pump making noise when it's low on fluid and noisier when turning.. you may have fragged the pump, and it may not be a bad idea to change it just in case. certainly easier than changing the rack and pinion. I'd like to endorse taking the assembly out of the bracket. the bracket bolts can be hard to get to depending on what intake manifold your car has. take it out of the bracket like miles described, and disconnect the clamps for the lines on the sides of the block (one at the base of the oil fill tube, one right behind the passenger side PCV hose) and that will let you lift the pump up and over something to drain it into, inside the engine bay.

i'll bet this guy knows

you can replace the o-rings inside if you're patient enough to take the whole thing apart. or a new one can be had (i think) from napa for a few hundred.

change your o2 sensor. if it's "tired" it will read funny with a load on the engine and it can trigger the ECS light too.