NO Spark...... TBI 88 GMC 5.7 350

[guitarfreak235]

think about the trouble people in the future will have with modern cars and fixing them.... and this is just a comparatively simple tbi

 

[Jims86]

think about the trouble people in the future will have with modern cars and fixing them.... and this is just a comparatively simple tbi

Nah, there will always be gearheads that follow and understand technology.

 

[guitarfreak235]

Nah, there will always be gearheads that follow and understand technology.

Well of course but what about those who wanna learn? So much more to deal with than with older cars

 

[HotRodPC]

Believe it or not, alot of young guys wouldn't know what the hell to do with an older vehicle. Especially as far as diagnosis. They don't have a Check Engine light to tell them somethings wrong, and they don't have an ALDL to plug into to tell them what's wrong so they are lost puppies.
I know a younger guy, has put 4.6 motors in his Mustangs and had no problem. Put a long block in his dads old Chevy truck and he was lost as hell. He thought you just put the distributor in, and hooked everything up and the igntion timing is right. Not with out cam sensor, crank sensor and an ECM. So I had to show him to pull up on #1 TDC and stab a dizzy. Pretty funny really. He thought he knew everthing since he can do just about anything to a Mustang GT, but he's as worthless as a sore dick on the most basic auto systems. God forbid if he has to set points and dwell.

 

[foamypirate]

Believe it or not, alot of young guys wouldn't know what the hell to do with an older vehicle. Especially as far as diagnosis. They don't have a Check Engine light to tell them somethings wrong, and they don't have an ALDL to plug into to tell them what's wrong so they are lost puppies.
I know a younger guy, has put 4.6 motors in his Mustangs and had no problem. Put a long block in his dads old Chevy truck and he was lost as hell. He thought you just put the distributor in, and hooked everything up and the igntion timing is right. Not with out cam sensor, crank sensor and an ECM. So I had to show him to pull up on #1 TDC and stab a dizzy. Pretty funny really. He thought he knew everthing since he can do just about anything to a Mustang GT, but he's as worthless as a sore dick on the most basic auto systems. God forbid if he has to set points and dwell.

Seems like most people my age are definitely like that. I try to stand out from the crowd by learning both new and old school. Nothing some factory manuals, research, and wrench time can't teach you, that's for sure.

 

[HotRodPC]

Seems like most people my age are definitely like that. I try to stand out from the crowd by learning both new and old school. Nothing some factory manuals, research, and wrench time can't teach you, that's for sure.

I'll assure you, I see your threads, posts etc. You stand out from the crowd, way out from the crowd, and even further out in your age range. I'd take you as a son in law anyday.

I'm not even going into detail what my Son in Law has done with a 67 Chevy ll Nova that was given to him by his dad. It'll never run another day in it's life until I take it over and do it. So Sad !!!

 

[guitarfreak235]

Well I know one thing, I'd rather work on a square than any new car! I guess Im just not up to date. I didnt think about people not knowing how to work on old cars but knowing about knew ones that would be funny to see

 

[HotRodPC]

Well I know one thing, I'd rather work on a square than any new car! I guess Im just not up to date. I didnt think about people not knowing how to work on old cars but knowing about knew ones that would be funny to see

Hell, some guys don't even know what a damn firing order is. They know COP (Coil over Plug), but to have to run plug wires from scratch, they'd be lost as hell. But they know how to bolt on a NOS unit or a Twin Turbo. Go Figure. A sign of the times.

 

[GOBR]

Carbs are easier to dial in. BUT without the CEL YES it is harder to diagnose. You have to pull each plug wire off and get shocked a few times to find a missfire and all that. BUT you have less sensors and wires. EFI is simpler to a point and carbs are simpler to a point. Just depends on what kinda money you want to spend! Id rather diagnose a problem with a carbed car than a EFI car at work any day. Less things to look at. If you got spark you know its fuel. With an EFI car countless things can be the problem.

 

[Jims86]

Carbs are easier to dial in. BUT without the CEL YES it is harder to diagnose. You have to pull each plug wire off and get shocked a few times to find a missfire and all that. BUT you have less sensors and wires. EFI is simpler to a point and carbs are simpler to a point. Just depends on what kinda money you want to spend! Id rather diagnose a problem with a carbed car than a EFI car at work any day. Less things to look at. If you got spark you know its fuel. With an EFI car countless things can be the problem.

You cut 8 pieces of vac hose about 1/2 inch each, put them on your distributor terminals, and stick your plug wires on top of them. Start the vehicle, and with a tach hooked up, touch each piece with a grounded test light untill no drop in rpm...thats how you find a misfiring cylinder.
Carbs are complicated as ****, and more suseptible to things like vapor lock, a little bit of **** in the float bowls...the list goes on. And if you have a carbed car betwix 75-91...your screwed with all the emissions vac lines that are hooked up. I have 4 vacuum lines on my TBI, and 4 on TPI.
I know I will get flamed for this, But I think cali is a very good place to learn to be a mechanic, smog laws present more challenges to fix **** right, instead of shoving BB's in the egr line.

 

[HotRodPC]

You cut 8 pieces of vac hose about 1/2 inch each, put them on your distributor terminals, and stick your plug wires on top of them. Start the vehicle, and with a tach hooked up, touch each piece with a grounded test light untill no drop in rpm...thats how you find a misfiring cylinder.
Carbs are complicated as ****, and more suseptible to things like vapor lock, a little bit of **** in the float bowls...the list goes on. And if you have a carbed car betwix 75-91...your screwed with all the emissions vac lines that are hooked up. I have 4 vacuum lines on my TBI, and 4 on TPI.
I know I will get flamed for this, But I think cali is a very good place to learn to be a mechanic, smog laws present more challenges to fix **** right, instead of shoving BB's in the egr line.

I guess that way is just as easy. I have plug wire boot pliers and I just started at #1 and pulled the plug wire off the dizzy and when no drop or stumble I knew that was one. Who needs a scope to detect misfire when you have plug wire pliers? Carbs are certainly more prone to failure. One tiny channel or hole gets plugged, or the smallest piece of crud get in your needle and seat and you have issues.
You won't get flammed from me. I'm usually one that says leave the smog **** and make sure it's hooked up right. Alot of it is more beneficial than you realize, granted EGR not so much for the problems is causes, but it you take it off and clean the carbon build up off of it every 10,000 miles or 6 months, it'll work OK. My biggest bitch about smog crap is that it's in the way when I'm working on stuff. But I do agree, I'd much rather go with technology and efficiency than all that smog ****. With electronics and efficiencly, you get buy with much less smog devices because you have a more efficient motor. Proof of this, no longer such thing as a CA emmision vehicle, and 49 States vehicle. The 49 states vehicle is clean enough even CA adopted it, so now it's all 50 states and has been for quite some time. Of course CA is still going to test. That's because of all the ********* that have a Check Engine light on and do nothing about it. If your check engine light is on, emmisisons or efficiency isn't right and needs repair.

 

[HotRodPC]

And where are we at on helping OP (original poster) getting this issue resolved. Good discussion here, but let's make sure we're taking care of him too.

So where we at as of now on NO Spark??? Anything new??? What you've tried and haven't? This is the one that's TBI NO Spark right?

 

[Jims86]

And where are we at on helping OP (original poster) getting this issue resolved. Good discussion here, but let's make sure we're taking care of him too.

So where we at as of now on NO Spark??? Anything new??? What you've tried and haven't? This is the one that's TBI NO Spark right?

He hasn't chimed in yet...just bsing between sips of coffee!

 

[guitarfreak235]

I guess that way is just as easy. I have plug wire boot pliers and I just started at #1 and pulled the plug wire off the dizzy and when no drop or stumble I knew that was one. Who needs a scope to detect misfire when you have plug wire pliers? Carbs are certainly more prone to failure. One tiny channel or hole gets plugged, or the smallest piece of crud get in your needle and seat and you have issues.
You won't get flammed from me. I'm usually one that says leave the smog **** and make sure it's hooked up right. Alot of it is more beneficial than you realize, granted EGR not so much for the problems is causes, but it you take it off and clean the carbon build up off of it every 10,000 miles or 6 months, it'll work OK. My biggest bitch about smog crap is that it's in the way when I'm working on stuff. But I do agree, I'd much rather go with technology and efficiency than all that smog ****. With electronics and efficiencly, you get buy with much less smog devices because you have a more efficient motor. Proof of this, no longer such thing as a CA emmision vehicle, and 49 States vehicle. The 49 states vehicle is clean enough even CA adopted it, so now it's all 50 states and has been for quite some time. Of course CA is still going to test. That's because of all the ********* that have a Check Engine light on and do nothing about it. If your check engine light is on, emmisisons or efficiency isn't right and needs repair.

I am about to take the smog crap off because, like you said, it is clutter and gets in the way. But you also say its more beneficial than most people realize. Care to elaborate? I've always thought it only hinders performance

 

[mhelms83]

hey sorry i haven't posted in a few days, i'm still stuck . would it be possible that the ECU went bad? Ive heard some people say they very rarely go bad. i think its time to drag her to a garage. thanks for all the help fellas!