I am looking for some second opinions regarding timing issues on my "99" 5.7 Suburban. I recently put new motor, trans. and T-case in my 240,000 mile ride.(Previous owner managed to send a rod through the pan). I am pretty sure (90%) that I set the motor at TDC on compression stroke, then cut hole in old dist. cap and lined up with #1 cap terminal. The distributor was set as close to square with crank center line as possible. There is very little room for rotational movement on these motors. She started right away and seemed to run fine except for the crank/cam code. after a few hundred miles (I didn't have a scanner at the time), it started to miss on inclines while in overdrive. I have a scanner now and it is showing 22 degs. on the timing. (Yes I know the computer controls the actual timing advance and I am only setting dist. in relationship to the crank). Looking for the ideal 0+/- 2 degs. I was able to get it down to 17 degs. Any less and it would die.
Is my rotor possibly off one complete terminal position or............? That severe misfire/bucking on the grades is gone.
2 more things. I could not locate the "8" on the dist. body and should I replace the original high mile distributor even though the gear looks fine? Thanks to all for any response.

 

when i timed mine i used the #8 on the pointer i turned mine over by hand twice and came back around to make sure i took out the play i still got the light and i retarded the dist just a little and havent seen the light yet that was back in march the flat spot on the distributor is just about parrellel with the back of the upper intake manifold

what scanner did you buy that will do the cam retard?

 

most definitely, you should change the distributor

 

Without going up to my shop, I believe my scanner is an Inova 3130. Thinking back I used the distributor from my "97" Tahoe. It ONLY has 173,000 miles on it but yah I figure I should pop for a new one.

 

At TDC, where exactly should the rotor be pointed? As I mentioned I could not find the reference "8" and I set the rotor dead on the #1 terminal. Could the motor actually run at 180 degs. off? Thanks

 

hope this link works 1997 v6 vortec timing - JustAnswer