I replaced the water pump, some hoses and my optispark, along with doing plugs and wires.

We tried to fire it up today and it cranks for a second, catches, and starts running but with EXTREMELY retarded timing. That's what it sounds like anyway. No matter how hard I push the pedal, it does NOT rev, only attempts to idle. It seems to bog slightly of it's own accord from time to time.

The optispark was a rebuilt unit, with a brand new cap and rotor. The rest of the ignition system has all been replaced recently except for the coil, however it worked fine before this.

The optispark was replaced because when we disassembled it for cleaning, the bearing sounded and appeared to be shot. And it was highly corroded. Rather than tempt fate, I decided to replace it.

Am I on the right track thinking it's the distributor?

 

Don't get offended when I ask this, but are you sure you connected all of the plug wires correctly?

 

200% sure.

 

Would be helpful to know which design the opti is. Also about 1/2 the folks on this board install the opti wrong. How they do it is beyond me. Not saying you're an idiot or anything but I see it way too often. Seems to be equally wrong for both styles of opti drive set ups.

Just for laughs try this. Put #1 at TDC. then pull the cap off of the opti and see if the rotor is pointing toward the position of the #1 cylinder contact on the cap.

 

My car is a '94, sorry i forgot to mention that. It's the old style which I don't believe it's possible to mess up the install.

 

The old style seems easier to screw up than the new style but I've seen both done. So have you checked the rotor timing like I suggested?

Dave

 

no i havn't. I will first thing monday.

How would it be able to be off, the rotor had a pin in it and the spline could only go on the camshaft 1 way?