Problems starting my daily driver

[InUrHead]

Well, I've always managed to find useful help in these forums... so when my brain started hurting i came here. My daily driver (90 GT) started acting funny after a cam and valve spring swap. Local shop told me it was a distributor problem, it would sometimes suddenly lose about 500 rpm and then lurch to catch up. Now it's died on me (stalled out and wouldn't turn over or pop start). It cranks like it wants to turn over. Here's what i know so far:
1.) The battery is NOT dead, I still have plenty of juice.
2.) There IS gas in it. Sounds dumb, but I made sure.
3.) The fuel pump is coming on when I turn the key.
4.) All plug wires are properly and securely connected.
5.) It's not the starter, it's still trying to turn over.

Other than that, I'm drawing a blank and this is my a-b car, I've been walking to work and it's cold. Any help would be very much appreciated, and any suggestions I'll check tomorrow after i get out of work, or maybe even at lunch if they're simple enough to do in that short of a time period.

[HiFlow5 0]

How did the car run after the swap? Are you gettng spark? It does sound like timing or spark related.

[InUrHead]

Originally Posted by HiFlow5 0

How did the car run after the swap? Are you gettng spark? It does sound like timing or spark related.

I was having some spark problems after the swap, I was advised that it had to do with my distributor. The engine would randomly miss a cylinder and drop about 500 rpms and then jump forward like it was trying to catch up. Other than that it was running strong, I've just finished the break in miles on the new parts so i haven't abused it. I'm not good at diagnostics or troubleshooting so i don't know how to check to make sure it's getting proper spark...

[HiFlow5 0]

Tell me more about this distributor? How did you come to that conclusion and what are you running?

[ranger5002]

if it's a big cam try your computer and your air intake system

[InUrHead]

I hadn't actually diagnosed the car with a distributor problem. As i said earlier in the thread, I'm really no good at troubleshooting. I had a local shop take a look at the car after the cam and valve spring install due to a stalling problem at idle. They're the ones that told me it was the distributor. The cam is an X303, I don't know if you would consider that "large", but that and the valve springs are the only engine mods to date. I'm not really sure where to go with this next, and this is my everyday transportation. Kinda in a bind here...

[InUrHead]

Wow, everything's coming down on me at once now. Internet is down at home and the car is still parked at the curb. After replacing everything I can think of in the ignition system I'm at a loss. I looked down into the block where the distributor goes in, and there's a round (about 2 inches) piece of metal, flat on top, around the oil pump shaft that appears to be broken. It a fairly large piece that seems to be missing and I'm wondering if this could be why it's not starting. I'm also begining to question whether it's getting fuel. I was told there's a schrader valve on the fuel rail that if I pressed it, fuel should come out, but I 've spent quite a while looking and no luck finding it. Neither can I find the fuel pump relay(?) that Haynes said would be near the latch mechanism for the hatch. This is becoming more than frustrating and costly, so if anyone could help I'd appreciate it greatly.

[matt17]

the flat piece on the oil pump shaft is there just to keep the shaft from pulling out of the pump when you pull the dist. out!when you crank it over does your oil preasure gauge build preasure?what did you replace ignition wise:module,cap,rotor,coil,pickup coil in the distributor!check these things and this should get you some where!

[InUrHead]

Originally Posted by matt17

when you crank it over does your oil preasure gauge build preasure?what did you replace ignition wise:module,cap,rotor,coil,pickup coil in the distributor!check these things and this should get you some where!

I have oil pressure, and I've replaced all of those things... I replaced the cap, rotor, and pickup in my original distributor, and also bought a new one... This car is killing me, but maybe it's a sign I should go ahead and invest in the 03 cobra I've been wanting..