85 corvette will not start
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Barstow Ca
85 corvette will not start
OK long story short I retire from the Army soon and my brother gave me his old corvette. Ran OK but started to idle at 12-1700 rpm so I checked the codes and the TPS was showing bad replaced it set it at .3 for volts. Car started right up ran great then popped and almost sounded like a metalic clang possably the exaust but unk. Now I am lost on this, am starting with basic's spark, fuel, and timing. I have time just not the corvette experiance. HELP
Last edited by lilrascle; Sep 29, 2010 at 06:50 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 14,924
Likes: 9
From: Merritt Ils Fl
A metallic clang is rarely a good sign. Assuming the engine will turn over with no unusual noises my first move would be to pull all the plugs and check for damage. If none pull the cap off the distributor, if every thing looks as it should have someone turn the engine over watching the rotor, turn the engine over the should turn. If It does I would pull the ignition control module and have it tested. Might as well have the coil tested while you are at it.
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Barstow Ca
Tested the fuel pressure and is at 40 psi, my rotor does move about 1/2 maybe a little bit less I changed the ignition mod and the cap had a plug that was moving in its setting so replaced it. The rotor turns when I crank it. Also the pink wire is showing 12V. tested the injectors too and they blink. I have code 21 and 22 but adjusted the TPS into tolerance so this should not be an issue, also there is a code 32 indicating EGR system error. This would not prevent a spark I think. Anyone have an idea?
Last edited by lilrascle; Sep 29, 2010 at 10:32 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
No spark. Look inside the distributor cap for carbon tracks, cracks, good condition of the carbon button. Look at the center of the rotor, it has a hemispherical depression, look for carbon tracks, they should not be there. If ok, then check for pulses on the white wire during cranking, tach output. Check the ppl/wh wire for pulses during cranking, distributor reference pulses to the ECM. No pulses on the white wire, bad pickup coil in the distributor and there also won't be any pulses on the ppl/wh wire either. You can check the pickup coil with an ohmeter. Take the HEI module inside the distributor for testing, also the coil if a nearby auto store can test both.
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: IL
Not to worry you but where did the worn metal go that was once the distributor gear? does it look like it just happened or was the gear broken or split? is the engine original still the stock cam? Original engine ? how many miles is on the engine? I have a 85 with 150000 miles and the gear looks like new! Did the distributor shaft spin freely when you replaced the gear?
