98slowvicEX

I have been searching the forums for almost a week now. There's no definitive answers to some questions i have. Especially when it comes to timing marks on a d16z6 motor.

For starters i have a 93 del sol with a d16z6. it ran like crap when i got it. Put new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, pcv valve, air filter on it. I still have a low rpm miss and after much research decided to replace the whole dizzy assembly with ICM and Coil. Well did that last night and my idle is now steady and no more low rpm miss! however after starting the car my CEL like came on. The CEL light was not on before changing the dizzy. Its throwing a code for Crankshaft position sensor. I assume this is because i didn't set cyl #1 to TDC before replacing the dizzy. So i bust out the timing light and go to set it, but theres 5 marks on the crank pulley. 3 in a group that has a red line in the middle, and 2 about an inch away, one of which is white. I read in my manual that the white mark is the timing one, but no mater how far i twist the distributor, i can't get even close to the white line. its like i need another 1/2 inch of movement to get it timed right. I read some more and saw that maybe the timing belt was off, but wouldn't i have noticed that with the old dizzy? wouldn't it of thrown the code before the switch as well? There does seem to be a little slack in the front of the timing belt. Why would the check engine light be on now, and not before the switch? no matter how i adjust the dizzy the light won't go off and i can't get it close enough to the white line to time. Thanks in advance for any help. Need this car running right on monday for work.

Former User

1) To set the ignition timing, align the pointer to the Red mark (middle in group of three) not the White mark. Make sure that you jump the service connector when checking and adjusting the ignition timing and that the idle speed is set to spec. The white TDC1 mark is used to set the mechanical timing when you install a new timing belt.

2) A misadjusted ignition timing would not throw code 4 for the CKP sensor. I suspect that your "new" distributor is defective. Aftermarket distributors are generally a risky purchase. Best to buy OEM.

98slowvicEX

thanks for the response. So your saying a distributor change wouldn't trigger the CKP code if it was out of time? The only thing i did was change the dizzy, and it started throwing that code immediately. A bad dizzy would cause that code to occur? Are yo suspecting the dizzy itself? i could try removing the ICM and coil and put it on my old dizzy maybe? my old dizzy worked, but i had low rpm hesitation/miss and shitty gas milage. I use the new dizzy and the car runs like a dream till higher rpms around 3500. Any thoughts on what the next step is?

Former User

Yes, being out of time or having a bad coil or ICM would not throw code 4. I fear the new dizzy is bad.

98slowvicEX

update: i took the internals out of the new distributor and put them into the old one. (coil and ICM) put it back together and now there is no check engine light. However i am back to my old idle problems fluctuating between 200-800 when idling. :-(

98slowvicEX

Decided to check the timing on the timing belt and it appeared off. Did some more checking and noticed it appeared off a tooth. Car runs great and idles good now