Black Death

I purchased this 1988 4WD Silverado about 2 years ago, and until now it was running great. All of a sudden I start getting black smoke (carbon powder) out of the tailpipe. Since I'm not the greatest mechanic in the world I started analyzing different troubleshooting scenarios in the front of a Haynes book. For some odd reason I came to the conclusion that the timing chain was off a tooth. In the freezing Michigan cold I tore apart the front of the engine to check the timing chain. Ironically, it was perfectly fine. When I tried to reassemble the timing chain I was so frustrated from working in the snow and freezing cold that I tore the oil pan gasket and bent the oil pan around the lip that goes around the timing cover with a crobar. So next I decide that I need to put a new oil pan gasket on. The only problem is that the 4wd axle is in the way of pulling down the oil pan!!!! After trying to get it off without taking the whole axle apart I finally realized why the Chilton's and Haynes manuals stated that you had to take the axleshaft off--it was in the way of taking the oil pan off. Not only that but to get the axle shaft off I had to separate it from the two driveaxles and take off the entire freaking tie rod assembly to get off the last bolt holding the axleshaft on. After finally exchanging the old oil pan with a new one I bolted everything back together (with new inner/outer tie rods and front brake shoes) I find that the timing is off by 180 degrees. Luckily I don't have to take everything back apart because I probably would've broken the oil pan gasket again LOL..!! I actually pulled up the distributor and rotated exactly 180 degrees.
Anyway, now I'm at the point where I can test out this dilapidated engine with 170000 miles and a bunch of new parts. And now something in the fuel line breaks because I have no gas coming out of the TBI 220 injectors. So, I can't even test out all of these new parts (EGR, MAP sensor, coolant temp sensor, ignition module, ignition coil, spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel regulator, rebuilt TBI (without new injectors), etc...).
I tested the compression on this engine and I'm getting #6, #8 = 150psi, #1, #4 = 120, the rest of the cylinders = 135psi. This is a 350 engine. But what do you think on the fuel issue. I hope it is just a fuse because I just got a new fuel pump like 4 or 5 months ago.
I've also put in a new alternator, heater core, and thermostat recently. This is why I call this thing black death -- I've never seen so many things break on a car all at the same time.

If your timing chain is 180 degrees off, rotating the distribuitor will not help you.

You did say that when you got the timing cover that everything was in time. I assume you replaced the chain and gears anyway because I don't know how you distrubitor came to be off so far if you left it as you found it. Oh well, good luck.

I took the timing chain off and replaced the gears. When I turned the damper to tdc the rotor was pointing to cylinder 6.


If your timing chain is 180 degrees off, rotating the distribuitor will not help you.

You did say that when you got the timing cover that everything was in time. I assume you replaced the chain and gears anyway because I don't know how you distrubitor came to be off so far if you left it as you found it. Oh well, good luck.

I took the timing chain off and replaced the gears. When I turned the damper to tdc the rotor was pointing to cylinder 6.


If your timing chain is 180 degrees off, rotating the distribuitor will not help you.

You did say that when you got the timing cover that everything was in time. I assume you replaced the chain and gears anyway because I don't know how you distrubitor came to be off so far if you left it as you found it. Oh well, good luck.