to start ill tell you how it came about...
86 camaro 2.8L V6 started missing a little bit, but then stopped, so i thought nothing of it. then it started to miss again , but badly this time. so i drove into my school shop and it would not start later that day. i've been working on it for the past couple days during my spare blocks. the crank position sensor was junk so i replaced it (after testing of course) then the car started but was runnig roughly and would shut itself down after a while of running. the next day after no modifications the car would no longer run, after reading a bit and not being able to do any testing it seemed most likely that it was the EST module (electric spark timing), so i replaced it and its still a no go. the spark is healthy, fuel pressure is about 40, timing is approximatley correct (close enough that it should run). i dont understand cause i thought that if you give an engine air, fuel, and spark at the right time it will run, though i guess that theory may be wrong. anyone have an idea? anything i've overlooked?

i thought that if you give an engine air, fuel, and spark at the right time it will run, though i guess that theory may be wrong. anyone have an idea? anything i've overlooked?

I've always been a firm believer in that theory too. So much so that I'd have to think you are missing something, that your diagnostics are not as thurough as you think they are.

Have you put a timing light on it while cranking?
Is there really spark at the right time?

Is (or has) your check engine light been on?
Have you scanned the computer for trouble codes?

Are you certain you have fuel flow (not just pressure in the lines)?

If you have spark at the right time, squirt some ether in 'er, guarantee you she'll fire.

i havnt used a timing light while cranking but i put cylinder one at tdc and lined the rotor up with number one on the distributor cap which sould make it close enough. even if its one tooth out it should start if you rotate the dist. a bit. before the car stopped runnig there was no check engine, but when it stopped the code err est 42 came up. after i replaced the ignition parts i erased the code and it hasnt come back. i am sure that the engine is getting fuel cause i took a plug out and rotated the engine manually until air came out the plug hole and i could strongly smell fuel.

just a hunch are you 180 out?

If your dampner slipped you have no idea how far out you are. Use an engine stop to find your #1 TDC to prove that out. Also I think your cps triggers off the dampner as well. You are not getting something you think you are or it would fire off. Fuel pressure is not the best test of fuel into the chamber. Are the plugs clean and gapped properly?

it is a possibility that it's 180 out, although i did feel a good puff of air coming out of the plug hole. i would like to say i know what a dampner is but i dont. sounds convincing though. please explain.

Did at any time you remove the distributor? If not, then the engine can't be 180* out. The damper is the harmonic balancer. While the engine is cranking can you see fuel squirting into the throttle body? What Dennis is saying is, most balancers are two pieces. If the outer ring has spun on the inner portion, then the timing mark on the outer ring may not be showing true tdc. It is not uncommon for a balancer that is 22 years old to begin to come apart or spin. You may be lining the mark on the balancer up and the dist. up and the #1 plug wire, but of it spun then you could really be at #8 or so. Do you get what I am trying to say. Get a piston stop to find true tdc, but it has to be on compression stroke. Get tdc and then make sure you are pointed to #1 plug wire. You say the sparkis healthy? What color is it? The whiter the better. Fuel, spark, and timed correctly: engine has to fire. One of these is missing. My bet would be the timing.

i havnt used a timing light while cranking but i put cylinder one at tdc and lined the rotor up with number one on the distributor cap which sould make it close enough.
Unfortunately the rotor doesn't set the timing, it just distributes the spark. The pickup coil is what sets your timing, so you really need to use the timing light to see where you are.

i did remove the dist to replace the cps, but im 99.9% sure that im not 180 out. i checked tdc Vs the timing mark and it matched therefore the dampner hasnt slipped. the spark was a yellowish blue , not the strongest, but should be able to ignite, at least enough to give me a sputter. all the plugs are brand new and gapped properly so we can count that out. my engine is port injected and i smell fuel coming out of the hole where i took the sparkplug out, so there should be fuel in there. hmm...

well, there's always the "great troubleshooter"

Got a can of ether (starting fluid)?
Squirt some in the intake and crank her over.
She fires up, you got fuel problems.
She spits and backfires, you got timing problems.
she does nothing, you got no spark.

i'll let you know the result

Yellowish blue spark is not strong at all. Hearing that I am beginning to think that spark is your problem. I would check the coil. It has a high resistance side and a low resistance side. Each coil for each car is different so you're going to have to get a service manual(preferably an authentic GM manual)and get the spec on coil resistance. I have a good feeling this is good place to start. Yellowish blue spark is very weak. Spark should be blueish white.

i'll check the coil out. compression... 132psi, put fuel in the cylinder, checked the plug, its good,and tried to fire it and its no good. so i'll check the coil now.

What do the plugs look like? Are they all relatively the same. How would you describe them?

the plugs are all band new and the same and gapped properly. the pressure is on... im selling my car to buy a newer one with less rust... and i just got a call and they want to come check it out soon. i checked the coil and all the resistances sp? are in spec. ignition is defiantely in question here due to the crappy spark. anyone have any other ideas? or additions or faults in my testing?

If I'm not mistaken, isn't the coil what amps up the charge? If the spark to the plug is yellowish blue, then it sounds like the ciol is at fault. The coil should take your 12v and charge it up to whatever the rating on the coil is. I believe my Crane coil is rated around 45000-50000 volts. If you have another coil, try it.

it looks like that may be the problem, i dont want to throw away some more blind money and have it still not run. if the coil test in spec then shouldnt it be ok?

i ordered a new ignition coil. should be here in a few minutes. my teacher says if it doesnt help we should be able to return it if it looks like we havnt touched it.

popped in the now coil and she purrs like a kitten! thanks for the help everyone!

ok Ill say it cuz no one has yet
check the fuel tank for water or contaniments.
being winter it isnt impossible to get water in your fuel straight from the pump.
I got 3/4 of a tank of water in my silverado last winter to prove it 4 miles after fill up the truck died.
opps too late lol

Glad to hear you got her running.

Good work Riley. Thanks for posting back.