I have a bone stock 1997 Accord 4dr non-vtech 2.2L automatic. Long story short I put in a new distributor and was wondering about setting the base timing. I have searched the forums but did not find any ways to do it; but stumbled on one post that said a 1996 was done thru the ECU.

Does that mean it does not matter what position the distributor is in?

I have advanced and retraded the timing and it has no effect on the idle at all. The car is idling around 750 rpm..

I would like some help...


The car does run, just wanting to make it right as I plan on giving it to my daughter this fall.

Thanks in advance!

 

To set the timing, pull the rubber plug on the front of the block. Hook a timing light to the #1 cylinder plug wire. Start the car and let it warm up. After it is warm(with the engine running), loosen the distributor(only enough so you can rotate it), shine the light into the hole in the front of the block, move the distributor until the timing marks are lined up, then tighten distributor.

Thats basically it.

 

nope. that is incorrect.

the 96 accord and newer had OBD-2. And all OBD-2 cars with a distributor was not really a "real" distributor. Meaning you cannot adjust timing of the car at all in the distributor. If you had an OBD-1 and older (like 95 accord and down) you would because it is OBD-1. You can do the above procedure of rotating the dizzy to achieve whatever timing advancement or retarding you want. All OBD-2 timing adjustments are made at the ECU, meaning some sort of piggyback tuner type program.