|
First NEVER NEVER NEVER plug or unplug the AMM with the ignition on. You should turn the key off and wait about 60 seconds before diddling the AMM connector.
The symptom you described sounds just like the "limp home" mode, which is when you drive the car with the AMM unplugged. You may have damaged the AMM, you may have left the AMM unplugged, or you may not have replugged the AMM properly.
The symptom also sounds somewhat like a badly plugged catalytic converter, even though that problem generally occurs over a long time and gets slowly worse with time. I bought my '82 turbo wagon unable to drive above 10 mph or rev above 1500. After I emptied the cat, it went like the wind.
Also, a mis-timed camshaft can result in good idle and reasonable low speed driving, but severe loss of power above 20 mph, more or less (happend to me).
"If it times out perfectly with timing light, can I still be off by a notch in the timing?"
Sure. You can have the I-shaft, which drives the distributor, properly timed to the crank but have the cam off a tooth or two or three.
The best solution is to completely reinstall the belt. First, align the crank, intermediate shaft, and cam shaft to their respective timing marks (on the block and plastic cover).
Then install the new belt, assuring that the painted marks on the belt align with the marks in the three sprockets. This acts as a double-check that you have all aligned properly.
The mark at the crank sprocket is goofy because the timing dimple in the sprocket faces upward so the belt (paint mark) does NOT contact it when it's properly timed. I like to place the belt (paint mark) into the sprocket and then wrap the belt around the sprocket. Then the teeth are in their proper places even though the paint mark is now on the stretched-straight portion of the belt.
Sorry for the confusion -- it's far easier to do than to describe.
--
Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)
|
