Checking the timing + valve adjustments
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 65
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From: Lancaster, PA, USA
Checking the timing + valve adjustments
Just doing a good tune-up on my 93 Civic DX sohc (first time checking timing/valves), because my idle and power is lagging a little, and I had a few questions:
1. I asked the folks at Pep Boys about how timing effects power/idle and whatnot on a 93 civic, and they seem to think that the timing is computer regulated, thus you don't need to check the timing. So why do I see so many topics about it? I DID check it, however, with a cheap induction light, and to my surprise it was right on, with the pointer right in line between the red and green lines on the pulley. Would using a cheapo induction light cause a false reading? Or are they pretty accurate? I was surprised that the timing was good, because my Civic really shows symptoms of bad timing.
2. With the valve adjustment, I used a feeler gauge, and was frustrated because I found it hard to figure whether or not there was any drag or not. It was hard to decide because sometimes I would feel drag, but if I approached it at a slightly different angle I'd feel no drag at all, or a LOT of drag. I know that its normal if its not at a completely flat angle to feel false drag, but how sensitive should you be towards these readings? Does even a tiny amount of extra drag justify screwing with the valve? Or should I only be concerned with a significant amount of drag or lack thereof?
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to make it easy to understand.
1. I asked the folks at Pep Boys about how timing effects power/idle and whatnot on a 93 civic, and they seem to think that the timing is computer regulated, thus you don't need to check the timing. So why do I see so many topics about it? I DID check it, however, with a cheap induction light, and to my surprise it was right on, with the pointer right in line between the red and green lines on the pulley. Would using a cheapo induction light cause a false reading? Or are they pretty accurate? I was surprised that the timing was good, because my Civic really shows symptoms of bad timing.
2. With the valve adjustment, I used a feeler gauge, and was frustrated because I found it hard to figure whether or not there was any drag or not. It was hard to decide because sometimes I would feel drag, but if I approached it at a slightly different angle I'd feel no drag at all, or a LOT of drag. I know that its normal if its not at a completely flat angle to feel false drag, but how sensitive should you be towards these readings? Does even a tiny amount of extra drag justify screwing with the valve? Or should I only be concerned with a significant amount of drag or lack thereof?
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to make it easy to understand.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 7
From: Cali
Re: Checking the timing + valve adjustments (movingIIshadow)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by movingIIshadow »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to make it easy to understand.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Dont be, personally i like the way you made your post, very easy to read and asked specifics in detail.
1. Cheapo timing lights can give you a correct reading if its dead on (timing belt has never been changed, dist. never been moved) But if you have touched those things i wouldnt use one. I bought a 100 dollar digital light from Kragen and that thing works great for what i need. You dont nessassarily need a 500 dollar snap on one. Although they are very nice.
2. When your doing your valves you have that nut that you break loose down from moving right? What i mean is, when your turning the stud only the stud is moving right and not the nut. When the nut moves itll give you a bad reading. You want a little big of drag, enough that you cant fit a bigger gauge in but the one your on can fit fine. Tighten and recheck. If you cant fit you gauge in then its to tight, if you can fit it in your just right. If that doesnt make sense ill give you a better example.
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to make it easy to understand.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Dont be, personally i like the way you made your post, very easy to read and asked specifics in detail.
1. Cheapo timing lights can give you a correct reading if its dead on (timing belt has never been changed, dist. never been moved) But if you have touched those things i wouldnt use one. I bought a 100 dollar digital light from Kragen and that thing works great for what i need. You dont nessassarily need a 500 dollar snap on one. Although they are very nice.
2. When your doing your valves you have that nut that you break loose down from moving right? What i mean is, when your turning the stud only the stud is moving right and not the nut. When the nut moves itll give you a bad reading. You want a little big of drag, enough that you cant fit a bigger gauge in but the one your on can fit fine. Tighten and recheck. If you cant fit you gauge in then its to tight, if you can fit it in your just right. If that doesnt make sense ill give you a better example.
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: Lancaster, PA, USA
Re: Checking the timing + valve adjustments (movingIIshadow)
Oh I forgot to mention one important thing: I do not have a tach, obviously on a DX, and I had no handheld one to hook up so I just checked the timing assuming it would work even if the car isn't idling at 700 RPMs or whatever it is. (I suspect that the idle speed in my car is in fact lower than it should be)
When I think about it, I can see how the timing would read good if its reading it at an idle which is too slow, because if the timing matches up at a lower than perfect idle speed than it would indicate that the timing would be off right??
When I think about it, I can see how the timing would read good if its reading it at an idle which is too slow, because if the timing matches up at a lower than perfect idle speed than it would indicate that the timing would be off right??
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,582
Likes: 2
From: USA
if you need a craftsman advance timing light i have one for sale.. it's almost brand new... it just needs a pick up because the one that came with it has a broken plate so it wouldn't pick the spark signal... i'll let it go for cheap... you can get the pick up on ebay... brand new costs around $90... i'll let it go for $30 shipped and you can get a pick up for around $10 from ebay
in any case, when checking the timing you gotta have the idle right... otherwise it won't work.. also, you have to jump the service connector by the ECU in order for the ecu to stop messing with the timing while you're doing your thing... when the car is running the timing isn't constant... it varies on the ignition table and other factors such as air temperature and such so you need to let the ecu know that you wanna know what the base timing is
as far as the valves go, i usually unscrew the stud so i can fit the correct gauge size in there, put the gauge in there, start tightening down the stud while moving the gauge back and forth until i start feeling drag and when i think i have it right, i try using the smaller gauge... if it doesn't fit, it's done, otherwise keep doing it..
in any case, when checking the timing you gotta have the idle right... otherwise it won't work.. also, you have to jump the service connector by the ECU in order for the ecu to stop messing with the timing while you're doing your thing... when the car is running the timing isn't constant... it varies on the ignition table and other factors such as air temperature and such so you need to let the ecu know that you wanna know what the base timing is
as far as the valves go, i usually unscrew the stud so i can fit the correct gauge size in there, put the gauge in there, start tightening down the stud while moving the gauge back and forth until i start feeling drag and when i think i have it right, i try using the smaller gauge... if it doesn't fit, it's done, otherwise keep doing it..
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