so i played with the ignition timing a little more, full advanced, full retarded, not much difference. still shudders at idle (not idling low, almost like it's missing or sputtering) and the high rpm timing retard is still going on..........now at 6k rpm. the engine runs pretty fat on the low end, like it always did........RIPS in the midrange, then on top it pulls and pulls and pulls till 6k and the check engine light comes on and timing retards on me........


today i changed the valve cover gasket (was seeping by a bit a saw in one spot) and the intake manifold gasket (forgot to buy one before, known problem)

the car runs a little better yet, but i'm stil having the low end stutter and the high rpm engine light coming on...........i took off the distributor cap to see how it looked inside...........there's oil in the bottom of it. so i look in my manual, it shows a seal on there..........would be a 1$ fix no biggie, i do have to go to a dealer to get it apparently, auto parts stores say it doesnt come up on there computers.....

so basically everythign ive just said leads to this question.........

is my low end stutter and high rpm timing retard/check eng light problem being cause by oil blow-by going through my distributor?????

i dont know.........but what would make the check engine light come on?? someone said try a knock sensor...........but the car doesnt knock, it runs great........so i duno............thanks for any replies, i'm pretty stumped......the car ran ok when i went to do the swap so nothing should be changed except that leaky distributor or maybe where it connects to the cam (a bearing or something, someone mentioned it to me before) is messed up. thanks again for any help guys!

 

let us know the setup, like what block, what head and what ecu your runnin? those would help.

 

let us know what setup. i'm going to be doing a z6 head on a a6 block.