My first CIS problem...please help

[JP911]

I knew it would happen sooner or later. I searched the forum for about an hour, but I just can't seem to nail down what I'm experiencing. Here's the situation:

1. Car has been up on jack stands for suspension work, with the front end jacked pretty high for about 2 weeks and the rear for about a week. Before I started the suspension project I had no problems.

2. I drove the car 3 days ago to check my alignment and settle the shocks for ride height adjustment. The car started a little rough and then ran fine.

3. Today, after further tweaking of the ride height, I took the car out for a drive. It started OK, but when I started to drive up the street the problems started. At anything past very light throttle the car would buck wildly. I tried to warm it up, but it just continued and came close to stalling. I got it back to my garage and opened the decklid with the engine running. I pushed on the throttle and the engine stumbled then died. I couldn't get it started again.

4. I pulled the airbox cover to check the popoff valve and it's OK. I checked the distributor cap, rotor and points. All look fine and I replaced the cap and rotor about 4 months ago. Finally got the engine to catch but it had a horrible miss at idle and when I pushed on the throttle the miss would continue into higher RPMs.

What's wrong with my baby?!?!?! Tomorrow I will pull the plugs to check for fouling, but what else should I do?

-Jon

[47silver]

hi
i had similar problem last year...the point gap was ok. the car would not start or when it did it would run horribly....finally the plugs fouled. i replaced the plugs with new and the car started and ran ok...not great ok..
in the meantime i had ordered a pertronix ignitor set of electronic points from pp and i installed them... and when i was installing them i noticed that the wire that goes from the points thru the distributor housing was bare from rubbing against the distributor cam, ha this was causing intermittent missing and also hard starting...

the pertronix went in easily and i have not had any problems starting the car since then...the car runs really strong and does not miss at all. (knock on wood)
not to say that this is your problem but i would address the simple things first..
gary

[JP911]

Thanks 47Silver. I'll pull the cap and rotor and look more closely tomorrow. I'll also check the rest of the plugs.

[filou]

before you do anything, did you bleed the fuel line ??? It sounds like you having a fuel starvation due to air in fuel line.
first, remove air filter holder and filter, turn ignition key to run but do not start the car, lift the sensor plate from below and push slowly and gently the plate up, you should ear the fuel rushing thru fuel lines to injectors. Do that for about 10-15 secondes. Try to start the car.
if it doesn't start right away, don't get alarmed. give the car a rest and try to start later on during the day (engine might be flooded ).
Maybe by lifting the car like you did, create a pocket of air inside fuel line.
Truly, phil.

[Bones]

Originally posted by filou
before you do anything, did you bleed the fuel line ??? It sounds like you having a fuel starvation due to air in fuel line.
first, remove air filter holder and filter, turn ignition key to run but do not start the car, lift the sensor plate from below and push slowly and gently the plate up, you should ear the fuel rushing thru fuel lines to injectors. Do that for about 10-15 secondes. Try to start the car.
if it doesn't start right away, don't get alarmed. give the car a rest and try to start later on during the day (engine might be flooded ).
Maybe by lifting the car like you did, create a pocket of air inside fuel line.
Truly, phil.

That's a great answer, when you said the car was sitting tilting backwards I thought that sounds like a recipe for an airlock. Also check the plug wires and the coil connections although if your car was running fine before it points to some form of fuel starvation.

[JP911]

Wow! Great thinking. I really appreciate the responses. I'm heading out to work on it now. Wish me luck!
Thanks,
Jon

[azasadny]

Sounds like what happened to me, turned out to be plugs that were gapped too wide and bad plug wires. Did you recently gap the plugs? Could the wires be loose?

[JP911]

I did plugs and wires about 5 months ago and it's been running great. I think I've isolated it to a fueling problem.

[azasadny]

I also changed my fuel accumulator and fuel filter. I took apart the fuel pump and checked it as well as replacing a few fuel lines (while I was there). Be careful and troubleshoot one thing at a time or else the "replace parts" method of troubleshooting will get you!