Having multiple issues with 89 RS 2.8 V6

[kymber39845]

I have been on this site for hours now and have gotten some really interesting ideas on what could be wrong with the car. Most of the info is from other motors so it's only similiar. Here's the deal...Car won't start. She acts like there is no fuel, but I checked the flow. It's fine. I haven't checked the pressure yet, but I can smell gas when she tries to start. I have a new fuel filter but there was no trash in the gas when I checked it at the hoses under the hood. I checked the timing and it was way off. I could not get her to run where she was supposed to be so I opened her up. Chain was loose on one side, tight on the other. Damper was in pieces. I figured that was how the chain got that way. Replaced all of it including the Harmonic Balancer. Everything seemed to still be lined up. I checked the sprockets and they lined up fine. Pulled the #1 and #4 plugs to see if the pistons were up. They were. I made sure the rotor was in #4 firing order. Did I miss anything there? Is it still possible that I didn't get it right? I set the timing back at 10 and she tries to start. She almost acts like she's flooding and choking except sometimes she just shuts off like I did it with the key. Arghhh... I am tired and need my car running. I go back to school next week and have no ride except my gas burner Ford truck. I did replace the cap, but not the rotor or wires. The coil is new since the old one melted and was arcing off the bracket. My speedmeter and odometer stopped working and the tach is wayyy off. All my fuses seem fine but there is one thing. The car is actually an 87 with an 89 motor and tranny in her. I replaced the wiring harness in the engine compartment and it didn't match up quite right to the harness under the dash. Had to splice in the fuel pump so it runs all the time. Could this be part of the problem? I hear it running and I'm getting fuel so I know it at least works a little. I did this many years ago and she has never left me beside the road with a problem I couldn't fix then and there. Until now...This has me perplexed...If anyone can help me..Please do!!

[kahjdh]

sounds like its flooding, i would try to find a way to get the fuel pump to be connected properly. other than that i would of done all of the timing and ignition just like you did.

[Jcrane88]

i wired my electric fuel pump to run all the time. And boy i wish i hadnt. my motor is flooding all the time now( with a multitude of other problems), of course mine is carbed though

[malletslinger]

I would start by checking the wiring around the base of the distrib and around the coil. There is a white wire there and that is where the RPM reference signal is(I beleave).
The speedmeter just reads from a cable going directly to the tranny. Im guessing you didnt take the cluster from the 89. That would have been a good idea...but wasnt necessary.

If you are asking if the continuous fuel pump could be the problem, Id say yes, but if you have been running it like that, then it shouldnt be the problem right now.
Im guessing the problem is eather related to the computer(emissions systems), compression, or spark.
It probably isnt the compression(the 2.8 is a workhorse, if you take care of em they just keep going), but check it anyway. Changing the timming chain and tensioner was a good idea. I did it to my camaro(89 2.8) about a year ago and I would say it was in the same condition as yours. Changing it really makes such a difference.

Why did you wire the fuel pump to run continuously?!? And how long ago did you do that? This may be important.
Does it burn or leak oil?

[kymber39845]

When I put the 89 wiring harness on the engine about 5 years ago the fuel pump wasn't working. There was a 3 wire pigtail hanging from under the dash. I did some tracing and realized it was to the fuel pump. Apparently they wired the fuel pump into the main plug in 89 and separately in 87. I don't know a lot about wiring but I knew I needed the fuel pump for it to run so I spliced it in. It's been that way for the last 5 or so years. She doesn't burn or leak oil. She's been a good car for her age. No, I didn't take the cluster from the 89. Had I known then what I know now I would have taken both harnesses from the 89 as well as the cluster. I left all the original wiring in the 87 and just moved the engine and tranny. The guys that helped with that project (I was 7 months pregnant and couldn't oversee everything) wrapped the harness around the manifold instead of threading it through. After a couple of years and multiple splicing of burnt wires I changed it from another 89 car (not the original 89). I don't know where the wire for the fuel pump is supposed to be and can't figure out how to incorporate the relay. I just found a live wire and put her there. By the way SHE'S RUNNING AGAIN!!! Not sure what the actual problem was but we checked all the spark and found she was only firing strong in 2 plugs. Changed the rotor button and dist. cap and she started up. She runs a little rough but sounds better every day. I need to recheck/set the timing and that may solve that problem. The car won't start every now and then, though. Possible we damaged the battery by multiple charges and rundowns while working on her. If the battery checks out then I will check the starter. I can just hook jumper cables to another car and she starts right up. (Don't even have to wait or start the other car! LOL) I'm just glad to have her back...Thanks for everything. Now I just need to work on the speedometer and such..

[malletslinger]

Im glad to here everything is good
My 89 v6 has 166k on the engine and still doesnt burn a drop of oil...I guess the 2.8 was just a magical design.lol
BTW: My sisters 95 oldsmobile has already been through one engine and ist current engine is on its last legs...its not a 2.8.lol its the 3.1....not so magical