98+ JDM motor so 11.1:1 compression and no knock sensor lol. Obviously always running on 93 octane. Stock marks are 0* BTDC (white line) then theres a gap before having the marks 14* BTDC, 16* BTDC (red line I believe), then 18* BTDC. Obviously 0* would be seriously retarding the timing. I don't have an adjustable timing light, just the basic. But what is it factory 16* BTDC? Does the service manual say anything about it? I cannot find a number to set it at.

 

Spec is 16+/-2. So 14-18 is fine. Set it to 18 though.

 

Thank you. And the results, the car feels completely different. Throttle response is what seems like instant. Acceleration is smooth and so much better. I had it set towards 0* BTDC the white line because that is what I was told. Had I know when I set it that the white line was 0* I would have known better and not done that. I have the dizzy full advanced and I could not get to what seemed even the 16* mark it was more like 14*. Is that the cam timing off or just having a cheap timing light?

 

Did u jump the blue plug next to the ecu?

 

Set the crank to TDC and pull the valve cover and check cam timing, that'll tell you whether or not a cam (or both) are off. If they are off it'll be very noticable, the lines may not line up perfect with the crank at TDC (the 0 degree mark, that's why it's there, to set the crank at TDC). Make sure when you check the cam gears that the UP points up, otherwise you aren't at TDC cyl 1, which would mean turn the crank another 360 degrees and you'll be at TDC cyl 1, although for the purposes of your test TDC 4 would be good enough anything, it'll be just as obvious. Always best to use TDC 1 before you actually take cams out, etc to make it easy to remember where you started.