HELP! '86 starts, then dies...
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Dover DE
HELP! '86 starts, then dies...
It's an auto, ran fine yesterday. Checked the water in the battery today (noticed some headlight & dash light flickering the other night) - water was OK - went to go shopping, and it starts, but quickly shuts off. I can keep it running by fluttering the throttle, but it backfires and eventually dies. I took the aluminum cover plate off the distributor, and, along with being dirty, the distributor is loose (turns)!! No sign of vacuum hose problems. Any ideas?
Well, changed cap and rotor and tightened distributor - absolutely no change! Could this be a VATS problem?
[Modified by StarShipCmdr, 7:42 PM 9/15/2002]
Well, changed cap and rotor and tightened distributor - absolutely no change! Could this be a VATS problem?
[Modified by StarShipCmdr, 7:42 PM 9/15/2002]
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From: Sun City West Az
Re: HELP! '86 starts, then dies... (StarShipCmdr)
I have a 92 which has a opti instead of your type of dist. However, I can tell you without any reservation that the dist. should not be moving around. There should be a plate with a bolt that holds it down tight....or something like that. Your timing is changing as the dist. is rotating and that is causing the backfires and the engine to die. You need to reset the timing and button down the dist.
[Modified by ittlfly, 2:58 PM 9/14/2002]
[Modified by ittlfly, 2:58 PM 9/14/2002]
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From: Dover DE
Re: HELP! '86 starts, then dies... (ittlfly)
Thanks for your response! I justy returned from Advance Auto with a new dist. cap and rotor and, most importantly, a distributor wrench. I may have to put washers under the dist. bolt to tighten the clamp. Wish me luck...
Ray
Ray
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Re: HELP! '86 starts, then dies... (StarShipCmdr)
Do you have a timing light?You may need to readjust the timing again if the dist was moving around.
Youll also need to disconnect the EST wire before setting base timing..If youre not familiar with this,let us know,its an easy adjustment.
:)
Youll also need to disconnect the EST wire before setting base timing..If youre not familiar with this,let us know,its an easy adjustment.
:)
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From: Dover DE
Re: HELP! '86 starts, then dies... (Bill's86Coupe)
Oh yeah - the distributor has definitely moved - I had to move it back and forth to get to the cap's four screws. I just finished adding washers to the holddown bolt, AND I turned the clamp over - some idiot installed it upside down (Jasper, Inc.??!!)! Any help in timing it would be appreciated - I have a timing light - somewhere. I'm through for tonight - the trip to NY tomorrow is cancelled - I was hoping to drive this car for at least 6 months before wrenching on it, but no such luck. I guess the baptism just can't be postponed.
Thanks for your input and help, Bill.
Ray
Thanks for your input and help, Bill.
Ray
