Dan,
If the car has a loose timing set, it is very easy to see. One way that I know
of is to take off the distributor cap, and crank the engine by hand (with a
wrench of course) and see how long it takes for the rotor to move. It should be
fairly spontaneous.
Although I would say that anything is possible, in my experience, usually when
the timing chain skips, it does it bad enough to keep the engine from running
at all. If your engine runs, you can verify the timing with a timing light.
Assuming that the ignition is in otherwise excellent condition I would be more
inclined to think that your symptoms are probably caused by carburation
problems, including a possible massive vacuum leak.
There was a thread here a few weeks ago about someone with dirty idle jets. I
think they finally took out the mixture screws and cleaned out the inside of
the carb. That might be an easy place to start.
I always enjoy tips that help me diagnose things quickly and easily. Even if
not 100% accurate, at least I usually haven't wasted a lot of time or money
trying them out.
Happy Motoring!
Paul
In a message dated 12/5/2003 5:29:03 PM Eastern Standard Time,
dan.donna.m@xxxxxxx writes:
>Hi All! ...regarding the talk about the timing gears and all....I have a dumb
>question for the 'motor savy' crew in the IML....one of my '66 convertibles
>has not been running a a numberr of years. It never ran real well (m eaning
>smooth) even when I got it back in the late 1980's. Since then it has more or
>less 'just sat there' as a project waiting to be done. My brother tried to
>get it back on the street but couldn't get it to start and STAY riunning. It
>kept on dying on him. While not a master mechanic he understands more about
>cars than I do so I was a bit surprised when he couldn't get 'Cinderella' to
>start purring like a kitten. After reading this thread reharding the timing
>gears and chain, can one of you IML'res that know bunches about the 440 motor
>give some indication (if possible with the limited info I have provided) as
>to whether it has possibly been the timing gears/chain that has been part, if
>not all, of the problem since I got the car?!
>All the wires, plugs, dist. cap, etc have been changed but the motor still
>wouldn't stay running.....and when it did run, a little, it was
>kinda 'ragged'.
>Any hints as to what direction to look would be greatly appreciated. I am
>hoping to get to the car over the winter if all goes OK this year.
>Thanks to all for your help and a very Happy and Saft Holiday to All !!!!!!
>Dan Melnik
>> Paul, in addition to the other comments, here is another one. One of the
>> factors that kills these plastic timing gears is time as well as miles. My
>> guess is that the vast majority of the 60's 440s have these nylon covered
>gears
>> replaced at one time or another by now, due to age.
>>
>> D^2
>>
>> Quoting RandalPark@xxxxxxx:
>>
>> > I have a question regarding this topic. It has been stated here that with
>> > only 114,000 miles that it is unlikely that the engine has been over
>hauled.
>> >
>> >
>> > Back when they were still quite new, I remember several early 440 Imperials
>> > ('66, '67, &'68) experiencing a failure in the timing gears and/or timing
>> > chain right around 100,000 miles. When disassembled, the problem was
>usually
>> > due to the excessive wear in the synthetic coating on the teeth of the
>gears.
>> >
>> >
>> > I haven't heard much about this on the IML since I have been reading here
>> > since July. I have driven some newer cars that have done this as well, but
>at
>> > much higher mileage. Has anyone experienced this with their cars?
>> >
>> > Paul
>> >
>> > In a message dated 12/4/2003 3:21:11 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>> > dardal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>> >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Quoting Kate Triplett <ad_ablurr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>> > >
>> > > > This thread is of considerable interest to me - I have as yet been
>unable
>> > to
>> > > > obtain any previous maintenance records for my '68 Crown other than the
>> > few
>> > > > receipts that "came with" in the glove box. The car does run splendidly
>> > with
>> > > > nary a ping on 89 octane gas, though, so I suspect the engine has been
>> > > > through an overhaul once in its life - mileage is now just over
>114,000.
>> > I
>> > >
>> > > With only 114K, its unlikely that the engine was rebuilt, unless it
>> > suffered a
>> > > catastrophic failure. The factory timing specs were often a bit
>> > conservative,
>> > > and that might explain why it does not ping. Also, you may not be
>advanced
>> > all
>> > > the way to the recommended 8 degrees. Most pinging problems in these old
>> > cars
>> > > are more likely to be related to deposits due to too much city driving
>and
>> > not
>> > > enough high speed.
>> > >
>> > > >
>> > > > Did the dealers do a "warranty" change to these cars when the fuel
>> > changes
>> > > > took place, or was the timing such that it was strictly after market
>> > > > rebuilding?
>> > >
>> > > When unleaded gas was phased out, the 68 model year was long done with
>its
>> > > warranty.
>> > >
>> > > D^2
>> > >
>> > >
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>>
>>
>>
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