po1345

[mark stewart]

I have a 1996 S-10 Blazer 4.3w, 2 wheel drive, auto-trans, we replaced the head gaskets, and marked the distributor before removing it, and the intake. after we assembled everything the engine sounds like it has loose parts jumping around inside when you try to start it. The start grinds and the engine bucks but if you try a few times it catches and starts. When its running it sounds good, no noises idles good, and has good power in all ranges. We checked the fly wheel and starter all are good,it throws a 1345 code right away when attemping to start which I have as a problem with the ckp/cmp corillation. This vehicle has the enhanced distibutor ignition system. It has no adjustment for ignition timing should I try to drop the distributor again from tdc or use the marks we made?

[ricksza]

According to GM:

This DTC determines if the distributor is installed incorrectly, or if there is a mechanical malfunction in the engine.

I would probably try over again from TDC.

[mark stewart]

problem fixed, we had to start from the beginning and drop the distributor in on number one instead of the marks we made when it was pulled. The part that was so puzzling, it went back in the same place then wouldn't start easy. After it started it ran perfect, oh well another blazer problem gone for now anyway. Thank you guys for leading me back to the basics, sometimes we over think these things.

[1988TransAm]

Glad you got yours, when we were thinking about doing that to ours, we were told by some people that if it was a tooth off it would not run. Like yours, The challenge was to get it started, but once running it was perfect. Once we set ours back a tooth it started perfect so that was proof that they can be a tooth off.