3.2 running like crap after tune up/ valve adjustment

[Tippy]

Search in the engine rebuild section by title for "Z1" for positive identification for the crank pulley.

[rusnak]

What intrigues me is that it runs better cold. I wonder if the valves are too tight, and they are not closing once warmed up? Tdc is the second of the two marks close together.

[timmy2]

Originally Posted by mark4ton

they're the same "old" wires, these are six years old. i got them all to "click" in

So you have confirmed good spark on that cylinder #1 wire by plugging in a good plug and grounding it to the case while turning the car over and seeing it spark? (Pull fuel relay)

[timmy2]

What method did you use to set valve clearances? Normal or backside method? first time setting them?
I know I had trouble my first time and really only understood true TDC on #1 after putting my z-block and dial gauge on the valve while timing my cams during my head stud replacement last fall.
You could easily be 360 degrees off.

[tshih]

I had a recent ignition issue with my 165,000 miles 1988 3.2. It turned out to be a bad distributor whose shaft came loose and trashed my rotor and cap. Take the distributor out for examination. My bad one had about a 1mm vertical play in the shaft to body length when you pull on the gear.

Also have you checked the head temp sensor or replaced the old 1 wire version if that's what you have?

The other possibility for poor running is the crank position sensor may have failed.

[mark4ton]

Originally Posted by tshih

I had a recent ignition issue with my 165,000 miles 1988 3.2. It turned out to be a bad distributor whose shaft came loose and trashed my rotor and cap. Take the distributor out for examination. My bad one had about a 1mm vertical play in the shaft to body length when you pull on the gear.

Also have you checked the head temp sensor or replaced the old 1 wire version if that's what you have?

The other possibility for poor running is the crank position sensor may have failed.

heres what the cap old cap looks like. notice the grooves where the points are? is this normal?





and here is the new one. grooves are starting to reform there, and a lot of carbon. normal?

[KNS]

My cap looked like that too. I wonder if the cap is slightly undersized or the rotor slightly over.

I don't think that is the source of your problem. Drain the Brad Penn into a very clean (or new) container and reuse it when you re-do your valves.

[johnman001]

Please check all your spark plugs. Lately, I have seen several DEAD or shorted plugs that do not fire. The latest I saw was on our track car. In the cases I have seen the car runs with one missing cylinder. If you by chance have a non contact thermometer, check exhausts until you find the cold one. Check that spark plug.

Maybe the spark plugs are now made in China.

You should also be able to tell by pulling the plugs shortly after running. Any plugs not firing will be cooler than those that were firing.



Good luck with it.

[TT Oversteer]

You don't have to drain your oil to do a valve adjustment. The intake valve covers can come off without losing any oil at all. For the exhaust just jack up one side of the car so that any oil pooled in the exhaust valve covers will drain to the crankcase sump. When you're done with one side, jack up the other side and adjust those. I've reused new valve cover gaskets once without any leakage problems whatsoever. Your problem lies with what you changed. Just be methodical and check spark on each plug and if that's not the problem re check your valve clearances. It has to be something significant to make the car go from running fine to running so poorly.

[Prince,Caribou]

Hi Mark,

I live close to you. I've adjusted a lot of valves. If you need another set of eyes, hands etc.
Just take it one step at a time. It takes a while to burn off that extra oil. A lot of good advice.
Tippy, is right on about those little things. Don't run it anymore until everything has been checked.

By the way it isn't your wife's fault! We all make mistakes, some are really dumb & some are
very costly. Ask all the questions you want.

Larry

[ant7]

hi,
i Agree with many here too,
if the car was running fine before you adjusted the valves then i would look there first.
you can adjust the valves without needing to see the pulley markings, but you need to be absolutely sure that the rocker arms are on the lowest part of the cam lobe before adjusting,[pretty obvious when you re-look at the rocker to cam clearance interaction] if your not sure, just get someone to turn the crank slowly by hand with a spanner so that you can see the cam and rocker movements, it should then be obvious when the rocker is on the lowest part of the cam lobe to adjust it.
This should give you confidence that you are pretty much back to square one as far as the valves are concerned.
As for the disi cap, well, the arking marks are probably caused by condensation build up in the cap and the spark will momentarily jump randomly to the cap due to the moisture providing another potential for the spark to reack earth.
Once the engine is warmed up thoroughly the cap will dry out and the arcking will stop so i wouldnt worry about that, also, check to see how much side movement you have in the disi shaft as this could also be a cause of some of the marks on the inside the cap ie; shaft throw out due to excessive play etc.
If still nothing after these checks i would recomend as others here have and replace the coil leads and plugs on the known troubled cylinders and see if that sheds any light.
Good luck with it, i realy hope you get it sorted soon.

Anthony.

[johnman001]

Originally Posted by Prince,Caribou

some are really dumb & some are very costly.
Larry

LOL!

Are you talking about wives or mistakes?

[mark4ton]

i think ill have to accept your offer. although i am putting a hold on this right now, I'm going tomorrow to have a de quervains release. so my arm will be wrapped up for a while. But ill PM you and we can plan on something. what kind of beer do you like?

Originally Posted by Prince,Caribou

Hi Mark,

I live close to you. I've adjusted a lot of valves. If you need another set of eyes, hands etc.
Just take it one step at a time. It takes a while to burn off that extra oil. A lot of good advice.
Tippy, is right on about those little things. Don't run it anymore until everything has been checked.

By the way it isn't your wife's fault! We all make mistakes, some are really dumb & some are
very costly. Ask all the questions you want.

Larry

[mark4ton]

FIXED!! awesome! i drained out the oil in the motor, gauged all of the valves. intake #1 and intake #6 were tight, gauge wouldn't fit. the rest were good. put things back together. let the motor warm up to temp then started to add the oil back in there and checking the dipstick every quart. took the car out on a long drive.
WOW! what a difference. full power and purrs like it did when i last had it tuned by a shop.

i want to thank you guys for all your input and help.

[bigel]

Well done 4ton, glad you were able to figure it all out.

[kidrock]

good job, now go and treat yourself to one of those world-famous NW microbrews!!!! I wish I had one now....

[shbop]

Originally Posted by mark4ton

so my wife got me the tune up kit for my 1987 3.2 and i decided to have at it. change the fuel filter, rotor, distributor cap, oiled the felt in the rotor shaft, changed the plugs, replaced penzoil 10w30 with brad penn, and did my first ever valve adjustment. the car was running smooth before all this. but when it would warm up it would smoke blue. which i know my valve guides are worn and i really need a top end rebuild. but i was running smooth and strong other then the smoking.
now the car at idle ran smooth for about 2 min, pretty much until it warmed up, and now feels like its running on 4 cylinders... really shaky and rough at idle, no power on the drive, and really blue smoky at stop lights. this sucks.
so i was thinking, when i did the valve adjustment it was pretty freaking cold outside and my garage isn't heated. it was actually snowing the week i did all this, so maybe 40F degrees in my garage. could this have to do with it?

HELP!

Glad your car is fixed. By the way... this is a stunning photo of your car. Really beautiful.

[DRACO A5OG]

Outstanding!

[dave 911]

Great job - we love happy endings . I'm due for my first DIY valve adjustment, so tales like this are good learnings.

[zakthor]

Originally Posted by shbop

Glad your car is fixed. By the way... this is a stunning photo of your car. Really beautiful.

+1 You've got a good eye.