Chris69

Only about a year old. Anything else cause this besides timing issues? I'm guessing I have a bad ECM. Been detonating, and timing is nearly all in at idle with the computer connected. Can't be good... :smash:

Budman68

I have always made it a habit to remove the dist. cap first for all misses. 99% of the time it is a lose spark plug wire or rotor problem. :yesnod:

noskillz

Resistance is too high somewhere. Too advanced or retarded timing. Spark plug gap too wide. Bad wires.

Chris69

Tnx guys. I've got a computer ('81) that I think is the culprit, so ordered another one. Hope that's it. Here's what it's doing... Base timing at 12 degrees with ecm disconnected. Connect it back up and it jumps to 22 degrees at idle. At 2K rpm's it's hitting 44 degrees. At 3k rpm's it's at 48 degrees. Also getting voltage fluctuations in the carb's tp sensor (I think that's what it's called) which changes in sync to idle quality. Anyway, my best guess is computer for now. I don't doubt the plugs are fouled up since the tailpipes have lots of soot. Guess I ought to change the wires too (same set when I bought the car 3 years ago). No telling how old they are. Car also came with a stage 2 Hypertech chip and coil and 160 stat.

Pete79L82

Timing won't cause this.

Too high of resistance from a bad wire or spark plug will show up as tracking from one terminal to another. From the picture I can't see any of that happening in your cap.

The carbon brush (the small part in the center with the coil spring) was arching causeing it to overheat and melt. I have seen this alot with Tiawan parts. Chalk this one up to poor quality cap and rotor to start with.

JB

I agree with Pete. Put a new cap and rotor on first before buying a computer. They're cheap, and if you fry them again, no biggee.

I'm surprised it ran, too. A few months ago the cap and rotor in my Chevy half-ton fried in exactly that same way. I replaced them & have had no problems since--I think it was just a cobination of age and crappy manufacturing standards.

JB




[Modified by JB, 8:55 AM 2/17/2002]

Chris69

Installed KEM Manufacturing cap & rotor. Any good? They also make plug wires, but i thought about going with Belden. Thoughts? Still putting in the computer though to resolve the other issues. I'll find out in a few days if I wasted $75 on that. :rolleyes:

chevyman

I havent seen one of those since I connected my cap without the ground attached. Make sure its there