I took the distributor out of my '84 turbo to replace the module (I think Subaru calls it an "ignitor") and when I put it back in I must have misread my mark. (Yes, I'm embarrased). It wouldn't fire when I tried to start it so I moved the distributor a little and tried again. This time it backfire once but wouldn't run. After removing the distributor, rotating it another gear tooth, and replacing it the engine started, but runs very poorly, No idle at all and not enough power to pull it's own weight when put in gear. It acts as if it were severly retarded - much like an engine will when the timing chain jumps. I've looked for blown-off vacuum hoses and don't see any. I know that these engines have timing gears, but I've never been inside one to know how likely they are to jump. Is one of them fiber or brass?...maybe I'm jumping to conclusions? Any thoughts?

well, conclusions maybe jumped to.. but one thing is sure.. if your car runs at all or did at any time, i dont think its possible for a timing gear to jump.. if it did, that would mean there is some major damage in there.....

 

you probably still have the disty in the wrong spot.. it happens to me all the time.. have you checked it with a timing light? (there are marks on the flywheel-)

 

if you still have this problem in July sometime, I could come take a look at it, as I am moving to MSP area in the first week of July

I have no direct experience, but I think that it would take a major disaster to cause the cam timing to "jump". AFAIK the gears are steel and very durable, unlike GM and Ford timing gears. My guess is that you either got the wires back on out of sequence, or you still have the distributor a little off. Might also be wiring/grounding issues on the distributor/ignitor.

You need to pull the disty back out and then set the number one piston at TDC, on the compression stroke. You can put your finger in the hole and feel for the air coming out, that tells you its the compression stroke. Once you have it there and if you havent messed with the spark plug wires, you can set the disty rotor where the number one sparkplug wire is on the cap. This should get you close enough to get it running and then time it.

Check the timing with a timing light as said before, except on your engine the timing marks are on the front pulley.