Hope someone here can help us with this.

Car: a stock 305 4bbl with the only addition being a 1" spacer under the freshly rebuilt (3 days ago... it was raining and we were bored) QuadraJet. New plugs, dist. cap, & rotor. New fuel filter and line.

Problem: After running a good amount during the day, then being allowed to rest (1-2 hours or so), it makes it a maximum of, oh, a mile, then stalls out. Wait 8 hours or so, and it fires right up again. Same thing every time. Car is very reliable otherwise.

Also: Performance is poor, you smell like gas when you get out (even before the new cutout), and it drinks gas like I drink Mountain Dew.

SES Codes: It trips 2 codes intermittently, but the big one is Code 41. Described as "No Distributor Reference Signal"

The car is an ECM controlled QuadraJet with the 2-part ECM controlled distributor. According to the 2" thick service manual (my greatest eBay find ever),

"When the distributor reference line signal is lost, the engine runs full rich and with retarted (base) spark timing. The result is poor performance, poor fuel economy, and possibly rotten egg odor from the exhaust."

My guess is a bad sensor or bad dist. coil. Anyone have a more educated idea, as I'm just beyond amateur? Thanks in advance. Sorry bou the long azz post.

 

You're getting code 41 because you are reading the codes improperly. Code 41 is set because the engine is not running when tested. On an FI car, you should have the key in the ON position and the engine NOT running. HOWEVER, the carbed cars you need to have the engine running to pull codes, otherwise you will always get code 41. You're problem is probably not distributor related.

What was the other code? Have you thoroughly inspected for vacuum leaks? Plugs gapped correctly? Wires properly seated and routed?

 

Im in the same boat bro. i rebuilt the carb nbot long ago, and it runs like ***, still strong, but its a noticeable lag. I thought about it and the thing that it might be is the mixture control solenoid, these have a tendency to go bad over time, and I believe this is the source of my problems...... I will replace it sometime soon, as I get decent mileage, but it used to be better. Also it lacks in performace, but what do you expect from an LG4.


WILL

 

Actually, according to my big book, I'm reading them right. Code 41 trips when the engine is running if it is a fault, and stores in ECM memory to be tripped with the engine off. Code 12 is the one that trips always when the motor's not running. It trips because there is no signal from the distributor (because it's not moving). When the engine is off, it's used to confirm that the ECM is in working order.

When the car gets home, we'll trip it with the engine running to see if 12 AND 41 trip. If that's the case, then according to the service manual, it means either the sensor or connection is bad from the ECM to the distributor, or the distributor coil itself has a problem.

Other code was 44: O2 sensor. It was loose. We screwed it back in when we installed the cutout.

No vaccum leaks. All hoses are new. We check those regularly. Brand new plugs all gapped to spec by a friend who builds motors and really knows his stuff. Same story with the wires.

Will post more as we know more.

 

Quick reply:

Firebird is home. With engine running, code 41 tripped. Code 12 did not. This points to the distributor. Either the sensor or the connection is bad. Will update when I know more. Maybe this'll help someone with similar problems.

 

Correct, 12 should only flash if the engine is not running. 41 will flash if the engine is not. BUT, if you get the 41 code WHILE the engine is running, then it sounds like the EST timing connector is unplugged. Very possible since you just did the cap/rotor. Or, when setting the timing (if you set the timing), you forgot to plug it back in. If that 41 is showing with the engine running, you have NO spark advance, and that would definately cause all the syptoms you have.

 

Mark85 is on the right track. I'm going from memory but I think you have a single wire that you unplug to set the timing. If it is plugged in then pull it apart and check the female side tension. Also check your pick-up coil to ign. module terminals for poor tension or corrosion. If your module doesn't have a reference signal, it thinks the engine isn't turning and shuts itself down. When it doesn't start, try disconnecting the wire that you unplug to set the timing, this should put it in back-up mode and it should run. If not then your ign. module may by going. Did you pull the ign. module and check for dialectric grease? try adding some of that, it helps the heat transfer and prevents the module from overheating. A typical cause of stalling when hot then restarting cold. What happens when you run the chart for the code? It should lead to a fix or diagnostic aids. It's a pretty straight forward set-up so you should be able to fix it when you can duplicate it. Good Luck.

 

The FI cars have the brown/black single wire connector, while the carbed cars have the large 4 pin connector behind the distributor.

I'd check to see that the connector is plugged in first.

 

I know it's plugged in, but it might have a bad connection or wire, or something. I'm heading down there with the SM and my Fluke meter now to test. Will post results.

 

Tested via. instructions in the book the ignition coil itself. Test 1 of 3 failed, tests 2 and 3 were fine. So according to this, the coil itself is bad. Module reading was low but active, so we're going to try the coil first, and the module if this doesn't fix it.

So close