86TpiTransAm

I changed the plugs on my car today and decided to go ahead and check the timing while I was at it. I disconnected the EST and checked the timing and found that it was only at 4* BTDC when it should be at 10* BTDC. I decided to change the timing back to 10-12* but I'm not sure where the distributor hold down bolt is located. On my '86 T/A it's on the passenger side of the distributor but I can't find it on my '91 bird. On the passengers side there's two connectors plugging into the distributor so I'm having a hard time seeing if the bolt is under there. It doesn't look like it's on the drivers side but I could be missing it. I'm sure someone can tell me where it's at. A picture would be awesome too if anyone happened to have one.

TIA!

grimmcs

iTrader: (1)

On my 91 it is directly behind the distributer. I found it was easier to look at it drom the driver side. Just feel around at the base of the dist. Should be at about 2-3:00 looking at it from the driver side.
I actually found a pic. but since there was very little light back there it didnt come out.

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

if you look on the pass side at the back of the engine block, behind the intake, youll see a "Y" shaped bracket w/ a bolt going through the middle of it, thats your victim. (sorry no good pic, i can get one later though)

first id ask, have you ever/ever had the timing chain replaced? if not, thats a good sign its getting stretched and worn out. time to replace it. resetting timing back to 10BTDC isnt necessarily gonna do what you think. id say if you dont know if its ever been done, its time for one to be done. these chains dont go too long before things start stretching. i remember a post a long time ago by KED85 (RIP) about how the chain should be done ever 50,000mi and the gears every 100,000mi. maybe im off on the numbers for the gears, but i can more than verify for the chain. between the time i put my 3.4 in (installed new chain) and put a new cam in (installed new chain) there had been a lot of slack gained in that chain. that was maybe 25,000mi.

86TpiTransAm

Thanks for the replies guys. Yeah I know that according to Chilton and Haynes and probably other service guides they recommend changing the timing chain every 50,000 miles. My '91 has 130,000 miles and I'm fairly certain but not positive that the timing chain has never been changed. I might have to check into that. I do know, however, that the timing chain on my '86 T/A was never changed and it had over 200,000 miles on it when I built the 355 that's in it now and it was still running then. I should probably look into it though.

Grimmcs - thanks for the help with the location. I'll take a look and see what I can find. If I remember correctly, the drivers side of the distributor is less cluttered than the passengers side so hopefully it'll be fairly easy to get to.

Thanks again guys!