What degree do I set my timing light to so I can adjust the timing? FYI '94 Accord LX.

 

There are two marks on the harmonic balancer/pulley that indicate engine timing when illuminated by a strobe light (timing light) w/ engine running. One is Top Dead Center and one is 15 deg. Before Top Dead Center (BTDC). I recently timed my 94 EX for emissions testing. I marked the 15 deg BTDC mark (1st mark to reach pointer w/ engine rotating) w/ white correction fluid and hooked up timing light; power cables to battery and inductive pickup on #1 sparkplug wire.

Install jumper wire in 2-pin Service Check Connector under the glove box.

Loosen distributor hold down bolts and start engine. Illuminate harmonic balancer w/ timing light flash. Rotate distributor to cause the 15 BTDC mark to align w/ the fixed pointer on the timing belt cover.

Turn engine off and tighten hold-down bolts. Remove jumper wire from SCC.

Good Luck

 

I ended up doing this last night but I had it timed at 16 degree BTDC.

 

hmm i have a old timing gun, so i leave the gun at 0deg and move the red(btdc) to the pointer?? my cars a 94 lx... my cars been getting under 250 to a tank so yea im desperate!

on the haynes manual it says (15deg btdc red)


im a dumb one i know

 

any1 :\

 

you have a haynes manual, AND the question was answered above.
What else do you need to know?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SearchBeforeUPost! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you have a haynes manual, AND the question was answered above.
What else do you need to know?</TD></TR></TABLE>

i DID follow the instructions, i PMed the guy the issue i was having...

i left the timing gun at 15deg, tried getting the red mark to the pointer... even at FULL advance the red dots nowhere near the pointer... thats the problem im having now, not on how to use it.

 

That IS a problem with how to use it...

The single mark all by itself (on the pulley) is TDC. Over to the left are 3 more, close together, bigger one in the middle. Those are the stock timing +/- tolerance.

There's 2 different ways to do this:
1) Set the gun to zero, or use a gun without the advance feature. Shoot for the middle of the 3 marks (stock timing).
2) Set the gun to 15 degrees, then shoot for the single mark.

If you set the gun for 15 degrees & shoot for the stock mark, that puts you at 30 degrees. I'm not surprised you can't get there...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That IS a problem with how to use it...

The single mark all by itself (on the pulley) is TDC. Over to the left are 3 more, close together, bigger one in the middle. Those are the stock timing +/- tolerance.

There's 2 different ways to do this:
1) Set the gun to zero, or use a gun without the advance feature. Shoot for the middle of the 3 marks (stock timing).
2) Set the gun to 15 degrees, then shoot for the single mark.

If you set the gun for 15 degrees & shoot for the stock mark, that puts you at 30 degrees. I'm not surprised you can't get there...
</TD></TR></TABLE>

the thing is ive read about the 3 marks on other threads,,, on mine i only see 2 even after cleaning it... 1 red... and 1 white no marks in the middle or anything like you expalined or what other people said on their posts. and thats leaving the gun at 0deg.

any clue of why it only has 2?

 

Are they like an inch apart? The set of 3 I'm talking about are all about 1/8" apart. So maybe in '94 they only put one notch at spec & one at TDC?? So it sounds like all you're missing would be the +/- tolerance marks around the stock timing.

The spec timing would be to the left, TDC to the right. Other than that, do you get what I said about NOT trying to apply the advance twice?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Are they like an inch apart? The set of 3 I'm talking about are all about 1/8" apart. So maybe in '94 they only put one notch at spec & one at TDC?? So it sounds like all you're missing would be the +/- tolerance marks around the stock timing.

The spec timing would be to the left, TDC to the right. Other than that, do you get what I said about NOT trying to apply the advance twice?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

no they are about maybe 2 1/2 inches apart,,, one red one white on the same line, i just left it at the red mark, since the book says "15 deg btdc red"...

but after driving the car around... the auto start seems to have a hard time cranking up the car... and at acceleration (steady pedal) you feel it pulling, then after a few seconds it feels as it loses power for a sec until i push down on the pedal a bit more to get it going again? am i losing you guys?

im guessing you mean about the advance twice, stock marks already 15deg, so adding a second 15 would jump it to 30deg? correct?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mike813 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im guessing you mean about the advance twice, stock marks already 15deg, so adding a second 15 would jump it to 30deg? correct?</TD></TR></TABLE>Yes. My first post in this thread was to warn you about exactly that.

Over 2 inches, OK. I'm not looking at a crank pulley right now, so you're probably right.

 

thanks for the clear up... i was just paranoid since my cars getting under 250miles to a tank... and dramatic power loss has been happening.. imma try to voltmeter the "home made extended" o2 next when the snow clears see if that might be the culprit. (lx to ex manifold swap)