crappy timing issues on 85 vette
 

can anyone help with my timing issue? problem: i cant get the car to start after setting timing ( 0-8 degrees).it turns over as if the starter or battery is bad( both new)when i bring timing back down under 0 (setting by ear)I can get it to start fine but then it has no power and valves rattle badly.I have checked and reset distrbutor in time with timing marks on balancer( pulled and set engine at zero and reinstalled dist at number one spark plug).everything lines up properly,no slippage on balancer.i have replaced ECM (no after market chip)EST module,(4 wire module that plugs into dist,i dont know if that is the correct acronym)new starter,new battery.other than the timing the car runs fine when started.bit of background on car: was purchased complete no missing parts in non running condition at local salvage yard for resto purposes.the car is tpi fuel injection.any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.also is it possible to replace that computer controlled dist with regular electronic dist? i have a mallory electronic dist that i can use or can you suggest an alternative. :confused:

did you bypass EST when you set timing

yes i did everything by the book when i set the timing.(i have a service manual).can the computer dist be replaced with an after market non computer dist ? if so can you guys recommend something?also do you think this could be a starter prob? can purchase after market hi tork if needed.

I'm sure that you probably have this fixed by now but I'm new here and looking for why an '07 would peg the oil pressure needle and put the dash up to 180lbs and just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. Bad timing, won't start, back off timing, starts with no power...I would open the exhaust at the cat converter or manifold and retry. A clogged catalitic converter has the same symptoms

Something has moved. How do you know the dampener hasn't slipped? You say when you back the timing off it starts "but the valves rattle badly" How do valves rattle are you certain this is not preignition? Could the slow,hard turning be that the timing is so far advanced that the engine is "kicking" the starter? You might try retarding the timing maybe another 10 degrees or so and see how it runs then. Everything I have heard sounds like advanced timing. One last horrible thought: could the PO have installed the cam a tooth or two off? Finally gave up and sold it? It's pretty easy to check the dampener for slippage,but very difficult on the cam without removing some parts.
You probably could stick your distributor in it but you might lose some stuff the ecm needs. RPM comes to mind,you would also lose the computer timing feature.(that is not mecessarily bad!) Good Luck!
Ron