ok I bought an 88ae with what was supposed to be a blown engine. I get the car and the compression schecks out good. I made a gauge so that the pressure would drop off so I can see the bounce. It bounces at 70 psi all 6 chambers. ( the gauge unfortuantely bleeds off some of the incoming pressure also, but it's good to see if it has compression So after a little tinkering it fires up. It idles but shakes horribly at 900 rpm's. it has no power. I have dropped the cats and they were clogged badly. THe car sat for about a year before I bought it (FYI) It runs and shakes like a car with a blown rotor but it does have good compression. Wierd things have been happening. When I put a timing light on each wire to see if there is spark I get intermittent hits, but when I pull the wires it looks to be firing all the time. The wires and plugs are new. It is horribly down on power. It does not backfire like a blown engine but it is running rich. Sometimes it will fire right up and sometimes it floods. THe car is a basket case. I was playing with the coils checking and wiggling connections and my tach stopped working, wiggled it again and it came back on. Does this sound like a timing/firing issue or where do you think I should start for a car with total lack of power. Thanks guys, I know one of you will be able to help me. Gary

 

wow...sounds like major ignition problems. Check the resistance on the coils and check all grounds too. good luck!

 

your tach is controlled by your trailing coil