HELP....GA16I Timing Issues

vanoverbeker · Oct 5th, 2003, 06:10 PM

I just put my GA16I back together today and am having great difficulty with the timing...The engine turns over, makes no attempt to start and then out of nowhere...PUFF....a two foot high (CHERRY

) flame blows out of the trottle body...i have no idea how to adjust the timing on this thing...PLEASE HELP!!!

Token Moron · Oct 5th, 2003, 06:54 PM

u cant adjust the timing with the car off.

Myetball · Oct 5th, 2003, 06:55 PM

Sounds alot like you have the spark plug wires crossed. Break out the manual and double check you got it right. Most likely connected to wrong nipple on the distributor cap.

Unless you put the distributor in like 180 deg. off it wouldn't do what you describe. The car should at least start even if the timing is way off.

vanoverbeker · Oct 5th, 2003, 10:40 PM

Checked the wires...they are in the right places....the spark plugs are good...it is not sucking the gas in...the air cleaner is off and there is a steady spray of gas coming up for the throttle body...plus the gas puffs out everytime it should fire in the cylinder...once in a while the gas puffs are flaming...i checked all of the random wires around the engine and they all seem to be plugged in and the hoses are the same...any suggestions?

Token Moron · Oct 5th, 2003, 11:25 PM

it started doing this out of nowhere or what is the exact situation? has it been sitting for a while?

Gsolo · Oct 5th, 2003, 11:38 PM

how about your valve/cam timing (whatever ya wanna call it) if its off a little and then your ignition timing off some that would make a difference.

btw...what kind of mustang eating chevy do ya got?

Myetball · Oct 6th, 2003, 12:49 AM

If you are shooting shit out the throttle body and the wires are good then it's a good chance your crank to cam timing is off. Meaning the timing marks weren't lined up correctly when you installed the timing belt.

If so, best case is you pull the belt, realign the marks, and put it back together. Worst case.................bent vavles.

If the cam to crank timing is okay then you need to double check the distributor is installed correctly. Meaning the rotor is pointed in the proper direction with #1 cylinder to TDC.

vanoverbeker · Oct 6th, 2003, 01:40 PM

quote gsolo "btw...what kind of mustang eating chevy do ya got?"

its a 1982 Chevy Monte Carlo, 355 11:1 compression, 292 Cam, Victor Jr intake, 800cfm Holly Double pumper, 700R4 Tranny Stage 2 Kit, 9inch Ford Rear End with 4.56 gears...400HP

myetball - bummer, that means that I have to rip the hole front of the engine apart...I will try it and let you know...the car was sitting for a while before I got it...it had siezed up a little, thats why the head was pulled....so when I got it I had to find bolts and that for it to put it back together...the cam gear was still in the chain so I was hoping that I could just put it back on and the timing would be fine....No such luck i guess

Gsolo · Oct 6th, 2003, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vanoverbeker
quote gsolo "btw...what kind of mustang eating chevy do ya got?"

its a 1982 Chevy Monte Carlo, 355 11:1 compression, 292 Cam, Victor Jr intake, 800cfm Holly Double pumper, 700R4 Tranny Stage 2 Kit, 9inch Ford Rear End with 4.56 gears...400HP

damn, and i thought my chevy was a mustang eater

so yeah, check your cam timing and make sure your valves aren't bent

Myetball · Oct 6th, 2003, 04:28 PM

DOH forgot the GA has a chain not a belt. My bad. Working on the front of these engines is such a PITA.

Gsolo · Oct 6th, 2003, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Myetball
DOH forgot the GA has a chain not a belt. My bad. Working on the front of these engines is such a PITA.

at least its not an L series where you have to take the head and/or oil pan off to do timing chain

Myetball · Oct 6th, 2003, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vanoverbeker
...the cam gear was still in the chain so I was hoping that I could just put it back on and the timing would be fine....No such luck i guess

Just pray it was only off enough to leave the valves open slightly at the wrong time. If it's off too much......you guessed it.....pull the head and replace some valves.

Here's a nice quote from my Mitchell CD related to the GA16i:

CAUTION: Correct crankshaft-to-camshaft timing is critical. DO NOT rotate camshaft or crankshaft with timing chain disconnected or valves may bend.

Gsolo · Oct 6th, 2003, 08:29 PM

i think the crank/cam timing can only be off by a few teeth for it to still be ok

vanoverbeker · Oct 6th, 2003, 10:38 PM

GEEZ...hope I didn't break anything then....have been cracking engine to try to start it...worst case senario, anyone have a CA18DET for sale in the Ontario Canada area?