how often does the timing change to where it needs to be reset? and why? i have never checked my timing but my idle is funky now and it has nothing to do with air/fuel or anything. can a forked up timing cause weird idle?

 

Timing can affect a shitload of stuff... Too much advance makes it run faster, retarded timing makes it run slower. so if its erratic then the timming could be changing.. But Id say its something to do with air/fuel etc... Get a timing gun and check it tho, that would be the first thing.

 

BUT, is it possible for timing (being out of line) to cause a weird idle? i can't check it till monday. just curious to know till then. thank you,

-zac

 

The timing doesnt go off by itself. What "funky" about your idle? Need a better description.

 

yea timing on a non points car (like ours unless you have a 79) shouldn't change unless the nut is loose or somthing. If you idle is rough you might just need a tune up, a good one ie plugs, wires, cap, rotor, air filter, etc etc etc. If its really erratic then you might have carb troubles or a vaccum leak or both.

 

I had a problem with the distributor on my '80 courier where the rotor assembly started turning on the distributor shaft. I would set the timing, then the truck would start and run until I turned it off. Then the rotor would slip a bit on the shaft so it wouldn't start again unless I re-timed it. Fun, huh? Anyway, this is about the only scenario that I can think of where the timing would actually change.

 

oh ok, well my idle was kinda explained in my thread "my rex sounds like a mustang!" hahahaha. all of a sudden one day i come out of class and it sounds like it's "camming out". glub glub glub, but it never stalls and when i get on it WOT it's no different. so i am lost. i recently did the rats nest removal and the engine while driving is much smoother and more responsive, but the idle is still forked up. so i was thinking my timing could have gotten out of whack? it just doesnt make sense how my car would idle fine, turn it off, come back turn it on, and it idle all fucked up! it's still doing it. i have new cap, rotor, plugs (ngk), air filter. ahhhh! makes no sense. only thing i can think of is; my air control valve is still not blocked off. but it hasnt been for the longest time and my idle was smooth, just high. could that all of sudden start effecting this?

-zac

 

Just....don't let it idle.

 

well actually, if i give it just a little bit of gas it sputters a bit. also does that when i'm "cruising". MAGNETS!

-zac

 

If your ACV isint blocked you have a vacuum leak which is causing your ldle to lope like a hot cammed piston engine. Start by blocking that, then see where your at.

 

yea, i know it's a vaccum, i should have blocked it off a long time ago, but it ran fine? very odd how it could change so dramatically in a matter of one restart. i'm blocking it off monday though. so we'll see what happens. thanks for your input