85ttop442

i have an '85 442 and have no clue on earth how this car even has been running, and especially as good as it has...... with the timing advanced about 40 degrees past stock!! i just found out today when i was tinkering around with it; the timing is supposed to be 20 btdc, but apparently i just noticed the slit in the balancer is way past tdc... is this even possible!?

would i need to turn the distributor back a lot and then start the car and see if it runs? this has me completely baffled... is it even possible for a vehicle to run decently with its timing this far advanced?

J-(Chicago)

I sometimes get goofy readings on those computer controlled cars.
Even with the correct terminals jumpered, and following the chassis service manual procedure.
I usually end up timing the weird ones by ear.

Make sure you verify top dead center with a piston stop and compare it to your balancer and timing tab marks. It is also possible that you have the wrong timing tab.

Rickman48

Or the balancer is going away - seen that, too!

Lady72nRob71

Make sure that the computer is in diag mode. A good procedure is here.
http://tlentz.oldsgmail.com/howto.html#Timing

Timing should be 20* stock.

85ttop442

yeah the computer was set in timing mode... ironically i went out to look at the balancer and it was at top dead center O.o (does the motor sometimes come to a rest at TDC when you turn it off?? jeez that means it's compressed) anyways, i pulled the spark plug to check the height of the piston, and am pretty sure it was all the way up; also checked the distributor rotor and it was just barely past the 1, if not on it... so the balancer is good

anyways, so i found out my timing gun is a P.O.S. so i bought a new one and aimed it at the balancer, which brings me to another problem: the timing is currently at approximately 4 degrees ATDC O.O

can the olds 307 run at this timing???? especially sounding as decent as it does?? this has me scratching my head thinking "WTF"

any help would greatly be appreciated, as i do a lot of driving and do not want to be driving this car with bad timing and possibly ruin the motor.

Rickman48

When the chain becomes stretched, or the top plastic-coated gear starts to go away, the timing retards.
If it's original, you've a job in the near future - 25 years and thousands of hot/cold cyces will do it!
When I did mine on a '86 GP 2+2, the performance and mileage gain were noticeable.
Easiest way to check is to pop the cap and move the balancer by hand - 2" is too much!!

alek72us

[quote=85ttop442;248662]i have an '85 442 and have no clue on earth how this car even has been running, and especially as good as it has......quote]


so if its running so good why mess with it. if its not pinging and running good and everything is tight let it run good.