Okay, here we go...

Replaced the head on my 89 Turbo van.

Since I pulled the dist when I reset the timing belt, I decided it would be a good thing to reset the static engine timing.

Nay, nay, nay!

Every time I pulled the temp-sensor-plug, the engine would begin to run pig rich, fall on it's face and die.
If I tried to use the throttle to keep it running it was impossible to make it run smoothly. It didn't allow me to just increase the idle a small amount...it was either screaming or dying.

It was running so rich it was blowing smoke...and when I walked around back afterwards there was actually a carbon track on the ground under the exhaust tip.

IMPORTANT

I static timed this very same van 8 months ago when I put the new timing belt and tensioner on with no problem.
Pulled the plug, it jumped into high idle with the fan on, and I timed it without problem.


It is the same "type" head as the old one (swirl), and I used the same intake, injectors, air cleaner, ect...

I looked everything over 10 times, checked all the vacuum lines 5-6 times, checked all clamps. The bolt to the ground strap is in the back of the manifold, the ground strap is attached to the firewall, and the ground wire is attached to the fuel rail...I see nothing amiss.

That said, it runs fine with the temp sensor plugged-in...and at idle, the computer-aided timing reads between 6-8 degrees in the window.


Any idea's?

Thanks,
CG