Seemed to be running good for last year, didn't drive for 2 months. Dead miss on cylinder 4, spark plugs reeked of gas, #4 black/wet. EGR control solenoid diaphragm was ripped, egr "charcoaled" open, big cruise control vacuum line popped off.

Fuel pressure is 12 PSI after filter, nice cone spray
Compression test was 180, 180, 175, 180, 180, 185, 180, 180.
16" vacuum steady from hot water shutoff line.
Spark plug wires all 0.9-2.2K Ohms
Replaced ignition coil, cap, rotor, spark plugs

Dead miss on plug #4 gone, but still shakes like crazy and winaldl shows tons of spark knock. Exhaust still seems to puff-puff------puff-puff-puff, but never has "sucked in" at any point... just "pauses".
After taking cap off again to double check things the tach is now stuck pegged all the way right.

Running rough trying to get it into closed loop/warmed up I drove around the block twice. Runs really rough, barely touching throttle and getting to ~2K RPM I got a ping/backfire (TBIs now have a splash of black soot).

I really thought all this was just issues from the cruise control vacuum line + EGR but it still runs terrible.

Could it be the pickup coil/pole or some slop in my distributor?

Is there any easy way to test valves or spark?
I don't know how to turn the engine over by hand without pulling all plugs (3 hour task with all the dammed looms). To turn the engine by hand I have to us wrench and pull alternator belt and I can barely make it budge (wrench will not stay on crankshaft). To get valve covers off I have to remove a bunch of accessory mounts and it is again a 4 hour nightmare.

 

I am down to timing chain slipped a tooth (I haven't ever touched timing) or a piece of bad wiring messing up ignition...
Driver valve cover isn't hard to take off and would be all I need to check timing chain jiggle + find piston #1 TDC. Is this a good next step or should I look at something else?

 

crank motor watching #1 or 6 valves. when you see intake starting to close, bump it or use a wrench to turn engine until intake is just closing and exh just opening. timing mark should be right at tdc. if 10 to 15 degrees after tdc, it is a tooth jumped. 20 to 30 and it is a couple teeth. this is eyeball quicky. not exact science. probly get 5 degrees off just from chain wear. and exact amount per tooth is 10 degrees with a 36 tooth
upper gear. but some aftermarket gears are 44 teeth.

 

Did you check your damper? The outer ring can slip giving a false timing reading. I had a simpler problem and that's what caused it.

 

Replace the control module in the distributor. They are $40. Verify TDC on #1 lines up with the mark on the balancer. You do not need to turn over by hand......remove #1 spark plug and have a helper tap the key (unplug 12v to the distributor so it doesn't start!) and tap until your thumb blows off the hole......how close is the mark? If it is WAY off...then you need a balancer. This is very common on these cars as they approach 40 years old.
My money is on the module.....the tach is the tell....the pick-up coil may be suspect, but usually it will just cease to run or run and quit...then able to restart after it cools off.
Given the steady vacuum and compression test I am ruling out a jumped timing chain although these were garbage on these and wore out approaching 100k miles......sometimes earlier.

Jebby

 

and i said it backwards. exh just closing and intake just opening.