Timing chain problem, Maybe? Help

[Lena Thompson]

I have a 1980 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale V8 302 2 door. It has 97,000 original miles. Driving down the road and everything shuts down, the engine and generator light turned on when this happend. I have tested, starter, alternator, battery I am getting spark and I am getting gas. It wants to start it feels like just a couple more pumps to the gas and it will start but nothing. I wanted to know if this car has a cam/crankshaft postion sensor? I have been told it's the timing chain, what do you think? I am girl who works in an auto parts store and this is just frustrating that I can't figure it out and I feel it's something simple. In desperate need anyone.

[xeroinfinity]

Welcome to AF.

Your thread has been moved to Olds Classics.

[maxwedge]

First of all this a 307 Olds engine, not a " 302" second this is just a plain and simple carb /dist engine, if you have spark and fuel, no start, first check for a restricted cat, you could remove the egr and see if it starts. Then do compression test to check for timing chain issue, or try and turn the crankshaft from the pulley, dist cap off and see if the rotor turns, these are all basic diagnostic steps for the condition you describe.

[MagicRat]

If you have gas and spark, as you say, I agree with the timing chain suggestion. Worn chains will occasionally skip a tooth, retarding the cam and ignition timing so it will do what you describe.

If the spark is not there or very weak, the coil may be bad or the HEI (High Energy Ignition) ignition module has failed. The ignition coil is in the distributor cap and the module is under the rotor.