Did a lot of work, now runs like crap!

[131]

I roll the crank back and forth at the top of its travel, and "feel" for the "middle" of the travel...Hard to explain? It comes up, pauses at the top, then goes down. I set it at the "pause at the top."

That's what I do for cam timing, the cover is for checking timing with a timing light after everything else is sorted.

[kcramp858]

I forgot to buy a damn timing light at harbor freight today...

I just re-did the static timing and installed the gaskets, only to notice that all of the radiator fluid dripped out...Somehow I managed to bust a 1 year old water pump when I took the pulley off to replace the timing belt.

I picked one up for 30 bucks at my local autozone (i know, right?) -- Will tackle it all tomorrow!

[kcramp858]

Alrighty, replaced the damn water pump, re-static timed everything, bought some crows feet to tighten down the carb, good to go! It didn't start immediately, it wanted to, but didn't. I had to turn the distributor counter clockwise (from standing at the passenger wheel well) about half an inch and zip right away it went. I drove it around for a little bit, power was shitty until I adjusted the idle screw. Here are my main observations:

-When I rev, it goes back down to idle very slowly. Annoyingly slow.
-It still likes to slowly walk up on the RPMs and then walk back down, just from 1000 to 1500 now.
-This new linkage is extremely sensitive.
-The engine idles fine, but shakes like it's about to die...I swear it usually didn't shake this much.
-I noticed that it makes this HORRIFIC screeching noise when I increase the RPMs. It scared me. I think it may be the timing tensioner bearing? It looks..crooked. I swear it wasnt cock-eyed before.

I took some videos:
https://youtu.be/sX7bXUnOefE - RPMs slowly walking up
https://youtu.be/BTPIn77NXS8- Horrific screech noise
https://youtu.be/8LH8Hd9qLGk - Engine shaking violently at idle, also you can hear this odd screech noise in the background...might be that timing tensioner bearing?

Pictures of tensioner:
http://imgur.com/a/zBlu9

I am giving up for the night...Anyone have any insightful ideas?

-edit- I also noticed that the brakes suck. I recently rebuilt all 4 calipers and bled them, but that in conjunction with the idle going down when I press the brakes makes me worry its the booster. (((((((((((((( Please tell me there is something I can tighten first!

[garion]

Maybe you have an air leak in the booster? Try disconnecting the booster, and plugging that tube.. If the idle changes, you got yourself a leaky booster.. Could also be the tube

It also looks like you might only be running on 3 cylinder or something.. Should be a lot smoother... Try removing the plugs wires one at a time to see if it changes...

[seabeelt]

Interestingly enough, I have seen one run at 180 deg out. Shook like a bugger. Are you sure you had number 4 at compression instead of exhaust? One way to check is to pull the cam covers. If tensioner pulley is tilted, it's bad and needs to be replaced, however noise almost sounds like a dry water pump.

R/

[kcramp858]

I chopped the booster hose in half and reconnected it.
I checked to make sure I was on the compression stroke (I was, both valves on #4 were closed).
I re-set the carb to "default" settings.

And now it runs pretty good! It has some sort of a miss still, though, and it likes to walk up from 1000 to 1500 for no apparent reason. What is that indicative of? It is killing me!


--edit-- Also, I found the source of the screeching noise: The tee was dripping water onto the water pump pulley and the tensioner, which was making funny noises. Also, the alternator belt was loose, so I tightened it up and it went away! Hurrah!

[So Cal Mark]

as badly as your motor shakes I'd say it's running on 2 or 3 cylinders. Are you sure you have the firing order correct? Remove the plug wires from the dist cap one at a time. When you find one or two that don't make any difference, you've pinpointed the trouble to those cylinder(s)