Questions and Answers

Buick Riviera Timing Chain Gears Q. Hi Vince, I was given a 1980 Buick Riviera with an Oldsmobile 350 engine as standard equipment. Could you tell me what kind of timing gears it has?? Metal or whatever?? I can not tune it as it may have, so I was told, slipped one tooth on the timing chain. I can start it if I put the distributor in one place but does not run well until I move the distributor to another.

It has 74,000 original miles and was REALLY owned by an old lady. It has an automatic transmission and all the goodies on it. I took the electronic carburetor off it and put a regular one on. When running it runs really good, but, it is hard to start unless I move the distributor.

Thank you in advance,
Herman

A. Most timing gears of this vintage were metal covered with a plastic coating. Yours may have lost the plastic teeth and jumped time.