Questions for 78-79 owners
05-12-2003, 10:17 PM
#16
Get out the ohm meter and check the resistance of the windings for the dist. pick up.Then hook up your vacuum gun and check them as you pull a vacuum on each diaphram with the mightvac.Watch to see if the ohm meter even flickers the least little bit.If it does your starting to break one of the flexible wires inside of the dist.By placing a vacuum on the retard side all the time with the mightyvac your pulling the wires "togethere" so that they touch better.
05-13-2003, 03:49 PM
#17
Racer
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928fixer, Im not sure exactly what you are asking me to test. I have an ohm meter and will test the distributor but where do you do it? With the cap off? Your thoughts are very interesting.
After more testing last night im almost positive my problem is with the distributor and advance mechanism. The problem is definately pinpointed to the advance and retard lines. With both of them disconnected the timing fluxes to advance then to retard and back and forth like it cant stay to a set timing. but when i pull vacuum for the retard then it stays put. Very interesting.
I guess now im looking for a known good distributor with advance. Seems like my spare must be bad as well. That is kinda hard to believe. but who knows...
After more testing last night im almost positive my problem is with the distributor and advance mechanism. The problem is definately pinpointed to the advance and retard lines. With both of them disconnected the timing fluxes to advance then to retard and back and forth like it cant stay to a set timing. but when i pull vacuum for the retard then it stays put. Very interesting.
I guess now im looking for a known good distributor with advance. Seems like my spare must be bad as well. That is kinda hard to believe. but who knows...
05-13-2003, 08:05 PM
#19
Racer
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Jim V. At idle the retard has a steady vacuum, upon opening the throttle a bit the retard stops and the advance starts. The advance seems to have a steady vacuum as well. I have not checked them with a guage yet but by sound and by feel they are not fluctuating at all.
Tonight im going to try and figure out why the car runs rough when both vacuums are disconnected. That is how your supposed to time the thing. I dont understand why the timing would be jumping around when you disconnect both vacuums. Its like the part that rotates inside the distributor is moving around without the vacuums attached. I checked it out before and it all seemed tight. Atleast the distributor thats out of the car is tight. You can move it back and forth with force just like the vacuum does it.
Tonight im going to try and figure out why the car runs rough when both vacuums are disconnected. That is how your supposed to time the thing. I dont understand why the timing would be jumping around when you disconnect both vacuums. Its like the part that rotates inside the distributor is moving around without the vacuums attached. I checked it out before and it all seemed tight. Atleast the distributor thats out of the car is tight. You can move it back and forth with force just like the vacuum does it.
05-14-2003, 02:08 PM
#20
Racer
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okay, I set timing to 31 degrees, car idles at about 10 degrees btdc with retard line on. When I disconnect the retard line the timing advances just a bit and then it starts jumping around. It pretty much jumps to the way way way way advanced side. The engine is running rough but I can kinda see the 30 degree mark way before the pointer, so that means its like 50 or 60 degrees before. but it keeps jumping back and fourth.
I removed that distributor and started taking it apart but looks like everthing is in order, as far as the mechanical part of it. Im going to put back in the original distributor tonight and see what happens.
I removed that distributor and started taking it apart but looks like everthing is in order, as far as the mechanical part of it. Im going to put back in the original distributor tonight and see what happens.
05-14-2003, 02:17 PM
#21
Nordschleife Master
Curt, I was thinking about your problem last night.
Assumeing your second distributer is not broke, and it's not a vacume problem, what else could it be?
Only thing I could think of is maybe something with the worm gear that makes the distributer turn? If there was play between the distributer gear, and the worm gear that powers it, the timeing would jump all around.
Anyways, good luck.
Assumeing your second distributer is not broke, and it's not a vacume problem, what else could it be?
Only thing I could think of is maybe something with the worm gear that makes the distributer turn? If there was play between the distributer gear, and the worm gear that powers it, the timeing would jump all around.
Anyways, good luck.
05-15-2003, 12:52 PM
#22
Racer
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Last night I bought a one way valve, similar to the small windshield washer valves, and installed it into the retard line. With that valve in place it now will hold vacuum on the retard side and the car idles and runs good without using the vacuum pump under the hood trick. I also had to block off the advance line but left it hooked up so that it appears to be working. Basically im just skating this problem for now. Everything looks as if it is operating normally. The timing is set to spec and everything runs as good as new. Before I go in for the real inspection at a smog only station im going to take it into my smog guy and let him test it. Im not gonna tell him anything and see if he finds what I have done. I shouldnt have any problems with emissions since I installed an S4 cat that works tons better than my old 79 cat.
Also, when I set the mixture using my ohm meter with the smog pump disconnected the ohm meter was between .580 and .650 there abouts. As soon as I enable the smog pump those numbers drop to .100 or there abouts. So it looks as if the smog pump is doing its job also. My car does not have an EGR system hooked up. I bought the car like that.
Also, when I set the mixture using my ohm meter with the smog pump disconnected the ohm meter was between .580 and .650 there abouts. As soon as I enable the smog pump those numbers drop to .100 or there abouts. So it looks as if the smog pump is doing its job also. My car does not have an EGR system hooked up. I bought the car like that.