Cascade Crew

STEEL

So, I am driving the 85 Z28 today. With wet roads, I figured I would take the less valuable car with the worse tires.

(For those who do not know, I have an 85 Z28 with 270K miles that i picked up for $650. The car will be holding a stroker 383 soon)

Ok, so I had noticed it wasnt running very well a few days back, I had assumed that the carb still needed work. The car was REALLY slow in accelerating, but i wasnt too worried.

Today, I had the car part way warmed up, and I floored it, and then it acted like it was out of gas. I ended up coasting into a neighborhood, and the car just dies. I could tell their was still fuel going into the carborator, and so I pulled a spark plug wire off, and did a spark test. It has spark.

It has fuel going to the engine, and a steady spark. Sound like the timing chain skipped a tooth to any one else?

(I knew a guy from school that lived in the neighborhood right there, so I pushed the car back to his place, and will have a friend of mine help me ow it home tomorrow. )

STEEL · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:35 pm Post subject:

well, i just talked to the previus owner, he said since 88 he never changed the timing chain or sprockets.

Guess thats probably it!

Edit: If you were to venture a guess, are the valves going to be super chewed? Is there a way to tell?

rjmcgee · The Hammer Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 2328

I don't think SBC's are real prone to skipping teeth on the timing chain. Maybe breaking the chain but not skipping. I would take a closer look at the carb or ignition.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:57 pm Post subject:

Dewey316 · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:00 pm Post subject:

I agree, chances of it skipping a tooth are pretty slim. i would guess ignition, or carb. BTW, shouldn't an 85Z be TPI?

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:11 pm Post subject:

I'm third-ing the fuel and spark thing. Its very unlikely that the timing chain will skip a tooth.

What kind of carburator do you have on there? how far is the dizzy advanced mechanically? Do you know how much vaccum advance its pulling at WOT?

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:13 pm Post subject:

STEEL · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:10 am Post subject:

Its all stock, with 270,000 miles, and a Q-jet carb. Its definitely a base model, open rear with drum brakes.

I dont know about mechanical advance, or vacuume advance. If it was an issue along those lines, I dont understand how it could have run and then died, when nothing had changed.

My father and I will do some testing on it once I get it back home. I just dont understand what other possibility there is....

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:31 am Post subject:

Other possability?

Maybe it's not actually getting fuel.
Maybe it has spark, but not proper spark (module).
Maybe you have a loose wire somewhere that cut power.
Maybe the carb took a big crap on your motor.
Maybe the fuel filter is plugged fubar.
Maybe the fuel pump took a crap.
Maybe something else in the distributor died.
Maybe Maybe Maybe

At this point dude, the possabilities are endless :O)

Sellmanb · Member Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 727 Location: Tigard, OR

STEEL · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject:

well, I went to the car today, with my other camaro loaded full of tools, and figured I would poke and prod, and try to figure out why it wouldnt start, but wouldnt you know, it started.

Now, Im confused.

aaron_sK · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject:

Ignition module blinking out when it heats up? Is it a stock LG4?

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject:

hmm......

Is it possible since the first time it did it, the secondaries were locking out due to the car not being warmed up fully?

I'm doubtful of this, but its just an idea.

STEEL · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 6:40 am Post subject: