I recently gave my car a tune up. (monday) hooked up all the wires dist. cap rotor ect. the problems came when i checked the timming with grandpa's old timing light. the engine ran then sparked sparked and the engine reveed and died. cant figure out whats wrong. the sparks were coming from the #1 wire at the dist. cap to the ground ...now the engine cranks and when checking the coil no voltage going in (or out) i cant figure it out and it seeems that every mechanic is out of town until after the fourth of july...ive thought it might be the brush pack in the alternator ...all the fuses (next to the drivers door) are ok. someting else ,when i turn the key i dont hear the buzz from the fuel pump.

You said old timing light and that raises a bit of a question. How old is old? I have an old timing ligh that I never use anymore because it is the non-inductive type. It requires a spring-like adapter to be inserted between #1 plug and sparkplug lead, then one lead of the light clamps to the adapter. Inductive timing lights have a shielded clamp that you place on the #1 lead.

The reason I don't use the old one (other than convieniece) is that when electronic ignition came out, it was recommended that only inductive timing lights be used. I don't remember if the reason was to protect the eletronic module or if the old style just wasn't acurate with electronic ignition. Any of the pros out there have a better memory on this?

Mel

"...a spring-like adapter to be inserted between #1 plug and sparkplug lead, then one lead of the light clamps to the adapter..."

That type of timing light can be easily converted to use a capactive pickup -- the metal clamp-like thingy that clamps over the insulation of the plug wire. Years ago I converted a new Mac light by using a clamp purchased from Snap-On. The Snap-On guy told me I'd burn out my light, but that was in the mid '60s, and it still works great. (Of course, at the time, only Snap-On sold a light with the user-friendly capacitive pickup.)

"Inductive timing lights have a shielded clamp that you place on the #1 lead..."

Not to be nitpicky with words, but..... an inductive pickup is somewhat like a C-clamp, and a capacitive pickup is somewhat like big alligator clip that have a wide, metal jaw. This jaw clamps over the plug wire for 2" or 3", sort of surrounding the wire. If it would help, I'll post pictures of the two types of pickups.

"...if the reason was to protect the eletronic module or if the old style just wasn't acurate with electronic ignition..."

Electronic ignition (capacitive discharge type) has such a strong pulse that it could damage the xenon bulb inside the timing light. Also, an arc could jump to other electronic components inside the timing light (including the trigger), reaching you. Ouch!! This is one reason I adapted my direct connection type light to be a capacitive pickup type light.
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Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Well, I think I can get the gist of what you have going on. If you did all that replacing and moved nothing that effects timing, the timing should have remained OK. On that engine and LH 2.2, the Ignition Control computer does the timing, making any turning of the distributor counterproductive.

Check the 25-amp fuse and fuseholder. They get cruddy and quit. Check the EFI relay, it may need to be resoldered.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

PS If you can bring yourself to using commas and periods and capital letters in the old fashioned way, us older folks will be better able to understand you.

Ask grandpa. If he's good enough to own an old timing light, he's probably good enough to take the 4th o' July outta #1 plug wire.

;-)
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Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)