1994 Sierra 1500 stalled in road and won't start

[RawbDidIt]

The very first time about a week ago? It was about 6 notches clockwise. (there aren't notches so I'm just estimating) I then adjusted to 0, plugged the wire in and drove around for about 15 minutes. I then checked timing again to make sure all was well and it was still on 0. Then I drove to work one time this week (about 40 minutes) and everything was fine. When starting the truck to come home it started being weird. I checked everything when I got home and it was about 10 notches counterclockwise.

I hope this makes sense.

After it started acting up again, you unplugged the wire, and the timing light showed it where? 10 'notches' off?

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[simonphelps08]

After it started acting up again, you unplugged the wire, and the timing light showed it where? 10 'notches' off?

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Yes it was 10 notches off. After noticing it was 10 notches off, I waited a few hours for it to cool down (so I could get to the distributor without a hot engine) After the couple hours went by, I unplugged the wire and checked again. It was still 10 notches off.

 

[thinger2]

It does sound like the dist spun on you.
Meke sure you dont have the clamp on upside down and that it is pushed all the way on to the dist before you tighten it down.
The hold down clamp has an oval slot and the ends of the clamp have tabs that go down onto the distributor, not up.
The clamp is steel and the dist body is aluminum so if it turns on you, the clamp digs in to the aluminum and galls it up.
If you try to check it by turning it, that burr can make it seem tight, especially when it cools.
But it is actually spinning while its running.
Google any picture of a chev 350 dist hold down clamp and you will see whst im talking about.
Tabs down and pushed all the way onto the dist.
Tabs up and all the way back, the clamp rides on the edge of the dist flange.
Check the clamp, reset timing to tdc with the wire disconnected, scratch a "witness mark" from the dist flange to the intake.
Run it for awhile and look at the mark.
That will tell you if its spinning on you.
The only other posibility that pops to mind for it being that far out all of a sudden is a skipped timing chain

 

[RawbDidIt]

Yes it was 10 notches off. After noticing it was 10 notches off, I waited a few hours for it to cool down (so I could get to the distributor without a hot engine) After the couple hours went by, I unplugged the wire and checked again. It was still 10 notches off.

Best guess is that the distributor moved on you. Pull the distributor cap and check the rotor to make sure it isn't loose, and that there's no play in the rotor. Reset timing, tighten the s*** out of the distributor hold down bolt, recheck timing with timing light, plug the harness behind the glove box back in

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[thinger2]

And dont forget about that distributor gasket I mentioned earlier.
Its not really just a gasket, its a "friction washer"
It not only seals the dist to the manifold, it also keeps it from turning.
And controls the depth of the dist into the cam gear and oil pump drive
The aftermarket one that come with the dist are just paper.
The stock gm is thicker and has "friction material" of some type in it

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

The only other posibility that pops to mind for it being that far out all of a sudden is a skipped timing chain

^^^X2 or worn down distributor gear?

 

[RawbDidIt]

^^^X2 or worn down distributor gear?

Skipped chain shouldn't be able to be fixed by resetting the distributor, had the same thought about the worn gear though, should be able to tell by checking how much play is in the rotor.

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[thinger2]

I can see getting 10 degrees out from a badly worn dist gear.
No, ressting the timing wont fix the problem if the chain skipped but using a witness mark on the body will tell you if the dist is slipping.
If the problem happens again and the marks still line up then you have a chain problem or a gear problem.
Running it with the reference wire unplugged takes the ecm out of the loop and narrows it down to a mechanical problem instead of a ecm related problem.
Theeeeoretically!

 

[simonphelps08]

I have more info for those still around.

I didn't get a chance to do a reference mark as I'm slightly unsure how to. Meaning I don't know exactly what this means. Ill re-read that post and see if I can make sense of it.

I Readjusted everything and found TDC and adjusted everything perfectly. Tightened down everything very well.

I noticed the engine sputters when pushing the gas pedal down harder. I was going up the same hill that the truck stall on a month ago and gave me the initial problems and there was a really slow car in front of me. I had to slow down and in order to make it all the way up the hill I had to push the gas down more. (the truck greatly prefers getting momentum going up hills) Well, it almost stalled and started sputtering and jumping up and down in RPM's. It's like something slips loose and goes out of place when pressing the gas too hard. I checked this theory out closer to my house and it kept doing this weird sputtering jumping of rpm's when pushing the gas pedal past 2/3 3/4 down.

I got home and check the markers and it was off again about 4 notches counterclockwise.

I am sorry I didn't do a witness marker yet. I will work on doing that but I thought I would update everyone with this info .

thanks

 

[simonphelps08]

I can see getting 10 degrees out from a badly worn dist gear.
No, ressting the timing wont fix the problem if the chain skipped but using a witness mark on the body will tell you if the dist is slipping.
If the problem happens again and the marks still line up then you have a chain problem or a gear problem.
Running it with the reference wire unplugged takes the ecm out of the loop and narrows it down to a mechanical problem instead of a ecm related problem.
Theeeeoretically!

Other than the new info I wrote above/yesterday, I put the witness mark down and nothing seems to be moving. Everything continued to stay lined up.