erratic idle, vacuum leak, timing all over the place

[rib256]

Turbo mini transplant. Idle is non-existant.
We set the timing, and hooked up the light, and at idle (5-600 rpm?) the timing mark is all over the place. When you rev it up some, the mark settles towards the far end (12-16). Sometimes the mark disappears.
What is going on???

I also hooked up a line for the boost guage, and all I get is vacuum. And the van runs better with the boost guage unhooked and open. Also runs better when the check engine/limp kicks in.

Also getting code 16, and the battery is not getting charged.

Man, that's a bunch o problems. I am finding more all the time.

Also replaced the HEP. and idle got worse. I will change that back when I get the battery charged again.

[bluneon]

was the ECT unplugged while you're checking the timing?

[rib256]

If thats the temp sensor, yes.

[EvilcowRoland]

Okay, couple additions. This engine came out of a running '88 Shelby Z. It didn't run great, but it did run. When we first started the van, it ran very poorly but did idle for a bit. Check engine light came on and we checked codes. 11, 12, 16. The 11 and the 16 would seem to indicate the computer is not acknowledging the engine is running and the system is not seeing proper recharge? Anyways, after that it didn't want to idle anymore after restart. We checked the mechanical timing and reset it. Then fired it up and put the light on it (Coolant Temp unplugged). It didn't want to stay running at all, so we had to hold very light throttle to keep it going. The timing is bouncing from 0 to over 15 and everywhere in between. And creating a vacuum leak helps it keep idling. Tried a different HEP, but that didn't help. I'm thinking computer, but all I have is an '89 2.5 T1 unit. We don't have another T2 to try. Any other ideas on what might be the problem?

[iTurbo]

I've had the timing mark jump around in the window before while trying to see it with the timing light. My problem was the distrubutor shutter came loose inside the distributor. It's held onto the base of the distributor with four plastic rivets. Sometimes the rivets break and the shutter wheel can move around.

[black86glhs]

My GLHS was doing the same thing before I pulled it apart. I'll have to look at checking the distributor out for this condition...thanks.

[rib256]

[EvilcowRoland]

Shutter wheel felt tight. Mark will need to confirm.

[Goodnbuzzd]

????? i had a similar idle issue and it was my map i had a broken vac line (cracked) the car would drive sometimes and others it wouldnt rev hardly at all. couldnt hurt to check

[EvilcowRoland]

It's not throwing a map code, but that doesn't always indicate a lack of a problem there. The vac lines are new silicone. What's throwing me is we hooked up a boost guage under the hood to watch vacuum and it kept stalling out immediately. When the guage was unplugged and that vac line was open to the air, it ran better. So something in the vacuum system is screwy that's for sure. I figured timing was off so we reset the mechanical timing and tried checking the electrical timing. That's when we noticed the timing mark was jumping around. We tried a different HEP and it's doing the exact same thing. What else affects timing like this?

* Note: The only thing changed on the engine when it moved from the running Shelby to the van was it got a replacement Garrett T2 turbo and it's now using the van's wiring harness with the Shelby's computer and sensors.

[farazshah]

My GLH-T did the erratic ignition timing mark, but after I fixed the cam timing, the ignition timing was set easily.

[EvilcowRoland]

The timing was functional on the Shelby, but just to be sure we pulled the belt off and checked everything at TDC. If it was off, it was only a tooth at most. It should be dead on though. We swapped back to the old HEP and moved the MAP sensor to a dedicated vac source. It'll at least stay running now, it's just running really poorly and has a low idle. Sputters, timing still jumping. Thinking it may have a bad vacuum leak somewhere other than the vac lines. The little L-shaped tube that comes up out of the bottom of the manifold is movable. It's twisting back and forth slightly. I'm thinking it's leaking there. I tried spraying carb cleaner on it to test, but nothing.

[glhsdrew]

I am having a very similar problem i have been running a glhs stage two LM it runs ok for a bit and after about 5 minutes it starts craping and chuging finaly I figured out that if I flick the ignition off and on i'm good for about 5 minutes, it tokk un amaginable time to figure out that it was posible the map I had it scaned with several maps on board and no luck i have yet to get my hands on a 87 t2 comp
and still could be wrong

[glhsdrew]

I also had all the same Issues

[DustyR/T]

pcv grommet and hose. Is that what you're little "L" thingy is referring to?