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Adjusting my timing - can't get 20 degrees.

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  • Adjusting my timing - can't get 20 degrees.

    I cannot find my Haynes manual, so i'm using my FSM to do this.

    I am having an odd timing issue. I'm going to describe it the best that i can.

    89 NA2T - stock block/everything
    84T ECU

    I begin with setting my crank/cams to TDC on #1. L3 & R3 are pointing to their indentations on the sheild, and the crank pully is on the 1st notch, 0 degrees:



    I pull the disributor out and set it like this:



    However, to set the rotor to the TDC position, i have to turn the distributor ALL the way to the right. (Red indicates the "center" position) The dist is now at TDC, but has no room to adjust both ways. It's like a max of 20 degrees, and all i can do is retard.



    If i pull the distributor back out, reset the gear as before, but twist the whole assembly one tooth, i am in the same position, but opposite:



    The distributor is cocked to the extreme left, now. The dist is now at TDC, but again, has no room to adjust both ways. It's like a minimum of 20 degrees, and all i can do is advance.

    So, basically it's like i can't get it to be TDC on the rotor, and have room to adjust + & -. My situation is either one or the other, there is no middle ground.

    Now i find this odd. I put the crank to teh 20 :



    Odly enough, the distributor moves from far right (or left, can't remember) and it's in the middle of the adjustment points:



    So now, with the crank at 20 degrees, the cam moved from one of the two extremes (right or left for TDC) to a center TDC.

    ---------------

    When running, using my timing light i then have to turn it back to the left or right to recieve a 20 degree (or close, sometimes i get 25 or 15 degrees...it's just never right dead on at 20.)

    I just got done fiddling with it, i left it at 25~30 degrees of timine. It ran horrible. It almost dies if i rev the engine, pretty much undrivable. On previous attempts i drove it at heavily retarded timing, and it had 0 torque until 3k or boost. The reason i'm messing with this is i had a problem with detonation (see previous post) and i momentarily fixed this by getting a timing light and finding out i was running 30-40 degrees of timing. I was never truly able to get it close to 20 degrees. I'm usually 5 degrees under or above - either way it runs like crap.

    I looked into possibly my cam jumping a tooth but both line up properly when the crank is positioned to the 1st notch, 0 degrees. So i am out of ideas.

    *Please note my pictures are for illustration purposes only, don't get all pissy if they don't make perfect sense*

  • #2
    Chech your keyway in your crank. I had a keyway get chewed up and the Key was crooked in the key way causing the gear to be off. Never knew WTF was going on as to why I could not get my car to run right until I pull the timing gear off of the crank and saw that the timing gear was chewed up along with the nose of the crank. This threw everything out of whack even though it all looked like it lined up ok by the marks.
    85 Z31 6.0 LSX turbo 766whp/792wtq
    04 GTO, LS6, big cam, porting, N20... underway for summertime daily driver.

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    • #3
      I almost pulled the crank pulley off to recheck my timing but i didn't want to get into that tonight...

      I did get the main bolt off, and i took a look at the center and although i cannot say 100% for sure, it looked like it was square with the key.

      I am right that it SHOULD be a center-adjustable position on the dist, right? Like...not cocked to the left or right all the way...cause this is really stupid

      Comment


      • #4
        CHECK YOUR TIMING LIGHT. i had this same problem when i went to the dyno a few weeks ago. come to find out my timing light was junk. borrow or buy a new light and recheck your timing. my timing was set at 20 degrees with my craftsman timing light. when i was at the dyno i made 250hp 280ft-lbs the first 3 pulls. i said this aint right and borrowed his brand new calibrated snap-on timing light. my timing was set at 10 degrees. i advanced the timing and with in a few runs i made 362 hp 359ft-lbs when my clutch started to slip. hey at least i gained 112hp by going to the dyno that day. :shock:
        Attached Files


        boost. does a body good!

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        • #5
          It's brand new. I will try to find another timing light to test, however.

          Comment


          • #6
            we recently had a car with a screwed up CHTS plug and we couldn`t get the timing to set right, fixed the plug, good to go

            Exercising my constitutional right to be awesome

            1.5.2. Podium winning cars do NOT need to be running at the checkered flag
            good thing....

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            • #7
              The CHTS is pretty new as well. Replaced 8,000 miles ago.

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              • #8
                are you one hundred percent sure you don't have the drivers side off a tooth?

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                • #9
                  Jason84NA2T wrote: are you one hundred percent sure you don't have the drivers side off a tooth?
                  agreed, I've fought with this exact problem before, and that was the answer.
                  vg33et -blew some chunks outta it, then gave it all away.
                  2009 370z touring/nav/sports

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                  • #10
                    I was checking this last night. I put the crank on 0 degrees, and both cams lined up very nicely with the indentations on the rear panel. Having my cam off is the only explanation for this, but it looks to be directly on spot - thus, my thread.

                    Granted, that panel may be entirely off but i'd have to tear a lot of to see.

                    I'm going to get my spare head/cam/dist off my 84T engine and fiddle with it to see movement possibilities outside of my engine bay, then i may do a timing belt procedure. (belt's good though, 8k miles just like everything else).

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                    • #11
                      did you try a light yet? you can also try counting teeth on the belt to . i don't remember the number off the top of my head but i'm sure someone else does.


                      boost. does a body good!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        jjewell wrote: did you try a light yet? you can also try counting teeth on the belt to . i don't remember the number off the top of my head but i'm sure someone else does.
                        cant you whiteout the TDC marks on the cams, and timing light them with the motor running?
                        vg33et -blew some chunks outta it, then gave it all away.
                        2009 370z touring/nav/sports

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                        • #13
                          Why i love having two engines sitting around

                          Took the cam gear off. Surprised, yet relieved.

                          The cam "notch" is ok, don't really know why it would have dug a hold into my cam gear but it did. The 1st 3 are of my original gear, the last is a picture of the replacement, healthy, gear.








                          Why i love having two Z's. Replacement parts for pretty much everything.

                          I'm going to pull the passenger side gear off to check and see if it needs replacing.

                          What would be the cause of this???

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                          • #14
                            the bolts were not torqued enought... when you put the new ones in be sure to torque them to spec

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                            • #15
                              Chris86NA2T wrote: the bolts were not torqued enought... when you put the new ones in be sure to torque them to spec
                              Agree, probably not torqued down.

                              PLUS, be liberal with the RED loc-tite on the bolts. I try to put it on anything that'll spin.
                              vg33et -blew some chunks outta it, then gave it all away.
                              2009 370z touring/nav/sports

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