88 chevy 454 backfire

I am at a loss with this one. I replaced the intake and exhaust gaskets
in my 88 454. She was chugging and had visible and audible exhaust
leaks. The engine runs great now at idle and timing is steady at 4 deg
BTDC. New plugs, wires and distributor cap. Manifolds were torqued to
specifications and to my knowledge I put everything back by the book. I
now have a backfire through the TBI from 25 to 45 MPH usually under
load. (9K suburban is a load at level). The backfire will stop and I
get full power without hesitation if I floor it. I replaced the coil
and have triple checked everything. I am getting ready to dump $95 on a
distributor as the electronic advance looks funky to me. Anyone else
have any other suggestions?

recheck your
"curt.bussiere" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I am at a loss with this one. I replaced the intake and exhaust gaskets
> in my 88 454. She was chugging and had visible and audible exhaust
> leaks. The engine runs great now at idle and timing is steady at 4 deg
> BTDC. New plugs, wires and distributor cap. Manifolds were torqued to
> specifications and to my knowledge I put everything back by the book. I
> now have a backfire through the TBI from 25 to 45 MPH usually under
> load. (9K suburban is a load at level). The backfire will stop and I
> get full power without hesitation if I floor it. I replaced the coil
> and have triple checked everything. I am getting ready to dump $95 on a
> distributor as the electronic advance looks funky to me. Anyone else
> have any other suggestions?
>

recheck your wire order. Also make sure your #1 is truely at #1 on the
distributor and not 1 off all the way around.

just a suggestion. its gotten me a time or two



"curt.bussiere" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I am at a loss with this one. I replaced the intake and exhaust gaskets
> in my 88 454. She was chugging and had visible and audible exhaust
> leaks. The engine runs great now at idle and timing is steady at 4 deg
> BTDC. New plugs, wires and distributor cap. Manifolds were torqued to
> specifications and to my knowledge I put everything back by the book. I
> now have a backfire through the TBI from 25 to 45 MPH usually under
> load. (9K suburban is a load at level). The backfire will stop and I
> get full power without hesitation if I floor it. I replaced the coil
> and have triple checked everything. I am getting ready to dump $95 on a
> distributor as the electronic advance looks funky to me. Anyone else
> have any other suggestions?
>

curt.bussiere wrote:
> I am at a loss with this one. I replaced the intake and exhaust gaskets
> in my 88 454. She was chugging and had visible and audible exhaust
> leaks. The engine runs great now at idle and timing is steady at 4 deg
> BTDC. New plugs, wires and distributor cap. Manifolds were torqued to
> specifications and to my knowledge I put everything back by the book. I
> now have a backfire through the TBI from 25 to 45 MPH usually under
> load. (9K suburban is a load at level). The backfire will stop and I
> get full power without hesitation if I floor it. I replaced the coil
> and have triple checked everything. I am getting ready to dump $95 on a
> distributor as the electronic advance looks funky to me. Anyone else
> have any other suggestions?
>
Pull the dist cap and give the rotor a side to side "wiggle".

Any slop is bad and pretty common on high mile distributors.

Is sloppy a rebuild or replacement is in order.

curt.bussiere wrote:
> I am at a loss with this one. I replaced the intake and exhaust gaskets
> in my 88 454. She was chugging and had visible and audible exhaust
> leaks. The engine runs great now at idle and timing is steady at 4 deg
> BTDC. New plugs, wires and distributor cap. Manifolds were torqued to
> specifications and to my knowledge I put everything back by the book. I
> now have a backfire through the TBI from 25 to 45 MPH usually under
> load. (9K suburban is a load at level). The backfire will stop and I
> get full power without hesitation if I floor it. I replaced the coil
> and have triple checked everything. I am getting ready to dump $95 on a
> distributor as the electronic advance looks funky to me. Anyone else
> have any other suggestions?

"ed" > wrote in message news:SCFkh.4357$Lc5.2767@trndny04...
> recheck your wire order. Also make sure your #1 is truely at #1 on the
> distributor and not 1 off all the way around.
>
> just a suggestion. its gotten me a time or two
>
>

Those distributors can be turned far enough to make the wiring order look
correct but still be off by 1 all the way around.

Ted

Problem solved! Thanks for all the advise. ED and scores of my friends
were all hitting on sound ideas but in the end it was my failure to
take the instructions in the book seriousely. Haynes Repair Manual says
to disconnect the Electronic Spark Timing prior to adjusting the
ignition timing and they mean it! Once I located it behind my glove box
it centered right in and runs like a champ. I now have hundreds of
dollars in new parts and am a little bit wiser!

ed wrote:
> recheck your wire order. Also make sure your #1 is truely at #1 on the
> distributor and not 1 off all the way around.
>
> just a suggestion. its gotten me a time or two
>
>
>
> "curt.bussiere" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> > I am at a loss with this one. I replaced the intake and exhaust gaskets
> > in my 88 454. She was chugging and had visible and audible exhaust
> > leaks. The engine runs great now at idle and timing is steady at 4 deg
> > BTDC. New plugs, wires and distributor cap. Manifolds were torqued to
> > specifications and to my knowledge I put everything back by the book. I
> > now have a backfire through the TBI from 25 to 45 MPH usually under
> > load. (9K suburban is a load at level). The backfire will stop and I
> > get full power without hesitation if I floor it. I replaced the coil
> > and have triple checked everything. I am getting ready to dump $95 on a
> > distributor as the electronic advance looks funky to me. Anyone else
> > have any other suggestions?
> >