New Motor

Have a problem with a new motor. It is a Pontiac 400 about 9.7:1 compression. Was running fine, runs like a dog now. Checked the plugs, they were covered with soot. Cleaned them and relpaced. Made no diference. The plugs have not been used for more than an hour and a half. The spark is HOT when the plug boot is pulled away from the plug. It will spark on anything grounded. Something that confused me is the timing light quits working when the vacum advance is disconnected. To get the motor to run now, the vacum advance is constantly drawing vacum.
Any suggestions on whereto start?

Willie P

sounds like the timing has gotten off. sounds like the timing is late. what happens if you adv. the dist. ? what does the light say?

When I advance the timing, it really starts running bad. I have the timing set at about 45 just to get it to run poorly.

you're so far off i dont know what to tell you. what happens when you set your timing at 10 degrees?

It1s10,

Apparently had the wrong plugs in the car. changed the plugs out and everything is back to normal. Didn't know that the timing light would not work on a fouled plug though. Live and learn!!!

Anyway, thanks for the help Sunday.

it was fouling to a point that it wasn't grounding... without the ground.... no spark pickup is allowed to the gun....

Quote:

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Originally posted by thesals
it was fouling to a point that it wasn't grounding... without the ground.... no spark pickup is allowed to the gun....

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think about it. if the motor is missing because of a fouled plug. then the timing light can't or won't blink. :cool:

yeah, you are both right. my initial thought was that the light would pick up the voltage traveling through the wire, but without a ground, there is no curcut.

I knew that.... Just know it a little better now!