1985 2.8L automatic transmission
This car had an engine swap before I owned it, it may have been a FWD version.
With the brown wire unplugged and the timing set to 10 degrees BTC the engine idling about 800-100 RPM
The timing mark goes toward 0 degrees BTC up to about 2700 RPM
Then the timing jumps to about 23-25 degrees BTC and the RPM jumps to 3500-3700 RPM
With the brown wire hooked up the curve still appears to be the same.
This has stumped me I have poured over my manuals and the internet to no avail. Can anybody help me out?

 

Need more info. 2.8 swapped for 2.8? Type of ignition system? How are you verifying timing? Brown wire? Sounds like a knock sensor or computer issue, but way too vauge to say for sure.

 

Origional engine had become an oil burner. The intake has a good coating of oil on the intake and the throttle body. I have cleaned the throttle body. The ignition is stock, but I have installed a new stock coil, wires and sparkplugs. Fuel milage is not too good either.

 

personally,i would go over the engine to computer wiring,you may find your fix there.good luck. also i would look at the condition of the timing chain/gearset

 

I had the ignition module tested and it was good. I also disassembled the distributor cleaned and lubed and added new die electric grease between module and the distributor housing. I inspected the harmoonic balancer and the ring hasn't move in relation to the center. I noticed three wires going into the motor above the cam sprocket just behind the water pump adapter and in front of the LIM. Could this motor be a 3.1 or a 3.4 because I don't think the 2.8 in 1985 used this sensor?