No power
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 167
Likes: 10
From: Corpus Christi Texas
No power
Hello all,
Finally got the car running due to a fuel preasure regulator vacuum line break. Have been working to get the timing right. The book says 6°BTDC, but 10° is firing better. If I accelerate slowly the cars moves and shifts pretty well. If I step on it there is no power. Not sure what to do next. Any advice would be great. My name is Mark and I live in Corpus Christi Texas. I hope all of you out there are ok with all the caronavirus stuff going on. Look forward to your advice. Thanks
Finally got the car running due to a fuel preasure regulator vacuum line break. Have been working to get the timing right. The book says 6°BTDC, but 10° is firing better. If I accelerate slowly the cars moves and shifts pretty well. If I step on it there is no power. Not sure what to do next. Any advice would be great. My name is Mark and I live in Corpus Christi Texas. I hope all of you out there are ok with all the caronavirus stuff going on. Look forward to your advice. Thanks
Last edited by MarkB85vette; Apr 12, 2020 at 04:33 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Hello all,
Finally got the car running due to a fuel preasure regulator vacuum line break. Have been working to get the timing right. The book says 6°BTDC, but 10° is firing better. If I accelerate slowly the cars moves and shifts pretty well. If I step on it there is no power. Not sure what to do next. Any advice would be great. My name is Mark and I live in Corpus Christi Texas. I hope all of you out there are ok with all the caronavirus stuff going on. Look forward to your advice. Thanks
Finally got the car running due to a fuel preasure regulator vacuum line break. Have been working to get the timing right. The book says 6°BTDC, but 10° is firing better. If I accelerate slowly the cars moves and shifts pretty well. If I step on it there is no power. Not sure what to do next. Any advice would be great. My name is Mark and I live in Corpus Christi Texas. I hope all of you out there are ok with all the caronavirus stuff going on. Look forward to your advice. Thanks
When you set the timing did you have the EST connector disconnected? If not your engine will be about 10 deg retarded.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 167
Likes: 10
From: Corpus Christi Texas
Forgot to reconnect the EST, so the next morning I plugged it in, but still nothing. I played around with the timing and got it running much better, but still no power when I had the throttle wide open
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 167
Likes: 10
From: Corpus Christi Texas
I suppose that fuel preasure test is in order. I gave a new fuel pump, fuel filter, plugs and wires. New distributor as well. I have run new vacuum lines, but my local auto parts store was out of the larger diameter vacuum lines
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Yeah could be fuel pressure but it could be a lot of things. Can you hook up a scanner something like an old Tech 1 tester would work or WinALDL on a PC. Is you TPS adjusted and working correctly? Any advice is really a guess without data. Also if the engine is running when you connect the EST you have to switch off and on again before the ECM will take control of the timing.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 167
Likes: 10
From: Corpus Christi Texas
Greg,
Thanks for the support. Not sure if the ECM is even working. The guy I bought the car from had installed a new gauge cluster, and nothing on the dash comes on. All of the fuses are good, so I have to find where he disconnected the rest of the dash power. ECM, is that an Electronic Computer Module? So I will go back through, confirm timing, and shut off the motor before connecting the EST. Is 10° BTDC too far? Also, when I move my distributor it is to the left that is advancing. I thought right advance, left retard. I have mostly owned Fords or imports. With the C4 left advances.
Thanks for the support. Not sure if the ECM is even working. The guy I bought the car from had installed a new gauge cluster, and nothing on the dash comes on. All of the fuses are good, so I have to find where he disconnected the rest of the dash power. ECM, is that an Electronic Computer Module? So I will go back through, confirm timing, and shut off the motor before connecting the EST. Is 10° BTDC too far? Also, when I move my distributor it is to the left that is advancing. I thought right advance, left retard. I have mostly owned Fords or imports. With the C4 left advances.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Ok turning the distributor body anticlockwise will advance it because rotor turns clockwise. So you disconnected the EST and set the timing to 6 deg BTDC but anything out to 12 deg BTDC will work. Then reconnect the EST but the timing won’t change. Switch the engine off then on and your car should idle around 20 deg BTDC. The timing advance is now being managed by your engine management computer referred to as an ECM in that model corvette. Your ECM will definitely be there and working because the engine won’t run without it, it controls your fuel injection system as well as timing advance. TPS stands for throttle position sensor.
Sounds like you are just starting your corvette journey so my first bit of advice is to get a genuine GM factory service manual FSM if will be very helpful when it comes to fault finding.
Edit: the LCD dash panel has two multi pin connectors on the right hand end of the unit.
Sounds like you are just starting your corvette journey so my first bit of advice is to get a genuine GM factory service manual FSM if will be very helpful when it comes to fault finding.
Edit: the LCD dash panel has two multi pin connectors on the right hand end of the unit.
Last edited by GregMartin; Apr 7, 2020 at 08:42 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 167
Likes: 10
From: Corpus Christi Texas
Greg,
Thanks, yes I am new to Chevys. And I will walk the car back through the timing process. I have done a few minor restorations, but they were Fords with carbs. When I decided to get my first Vette the C4s seemed like a good first choice that I could afford. I have a Chilton manual but it is very general over all. Can you recommend a good source for a shop manual for my C4? I have looked on line and the options are all over the place. I will let you know how it goes. I hope to get some time to work on her this afternoon. I hope your family is well, and I will be in touch.
Thanks, yes I am new to Chevys. And I will walk the car back through the timing process. I have done a few minor restorations, but they were Fords with carbs. When I decided to get my first Vette the C4s seemed like a good first choice that I could afford. I have a Chilton manual but it is very general over all. Can you recommend a good source for a shop manual for my C4? I have looked on line and the options are all over the place. I will let you know how it goes. I hope to get some time to work on her this afternoon. I hope your family is well, and I will be in touch.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
I bought my FSM on eBay. I just had a quick look and found this link but others might have better options
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/362709919678
You take care as well. The corona isn’t as bad where I am in Australia at the moment, but we are all working from home and lots of businesses are currently shut. We are self isolating, bars an restaurants are shut I guess it’s going to be a pretty boring Easter .
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/362709919678
You take care as well. The corona isn’t as bad where I am in Australia at the moment, but we are all working from home and lots of businesses are currently shut. We are self isolating, bars an restaurants are shut I guess it’s going to be a pretty boring Easter .
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 167
Likes: 10
From: Corpus Christi Texas
Ok, here is what I figured out about my C4. Timing seems good, 10°BTDC. Fires right up, but when you rev the motor at 4000rpm, the motor seems to fall out. Almost like there is a governor. Thoughts
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Does it have power below 4000. Have you put a timing light on it when you are reving it and if so does the timing advance when you rev it?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 167
Likes: 10
From: Corpus Christi Texas
There does seem to be power up to 4000. I have not put a timing light on it during rev up. I will probably do that today. I will let you know what I find out. Thanks again Greg
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Oh and no worries Mark happy to help but I haven’t come up with anything useful yet.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
