So i have been playing with my VX now for 2 years and cant seen to get the timing to act the same way as my novtec CRX.

With the mechanical timing believed to be correct and using a timing light, I can set my ignition timing pretty dead nuts on where it needs to be but the distributor is almost at its max advance. I mean only a hair away.

I just tried to advance the timing last night and I have the timing set at the advanced mark on the crank pulley but the distributor is completely maxed out at its travel.

Is this normal? I am following the timing procedure correctly and jumping the service connector while setting the timing. It just seems like I should have more adjustment than I actually do.

The car run fine and gets roughly high 40's and low 50's but has an occasional miss when hot at idle and in lean running at constant highway speeds.

I do not know the history of the motor whether anything has been machined. I did replace the timing belt and am fairly certain it is lined up perfect. I just want some input from other VX owners before I start tearing it back apart to check the mechanical timing for the third time.



Picture for interest

 

Are you 100% positive the timing belt isn't off a tooth? Due to the angle when looking at the timing markers on my D15Z1, I found that mine was off a tooth even though it "looked" ok at first.

EDIT - For a bit more detail, when I was putting the timing belt on, it looked like it wasn't possible to line up the timing marks on the timing belt cover. Keep in mind that when you're looking down at them from the top, you're not seeing them quite right. I visualized them straight on, and that's when I realized I was off a tooth (that, and I had issues at 2500+ rpm with significant loss of power).

Do you have any aftermarket or non-stock parts installed?

 

If you can set the ignition timing to the red mark with the engine idling to spec and the service connector jumped, then it's fine.

 

I wasnt sure if it was lined up so i took it all apart and set an Allen wench between the gear teeth to act as a pointer and lined up the cam to the correct arrows on the plastic rear cover.

I have nothing aftermarket on the car and it runs fine.

The ignition timing is set within tolerance I am only concerned that the distributor is completely out of travel to go any further if I wanted to advance it past the advance timing position.

 

 

^^ What he said, then. To be honest, I would have questioned it myself if that much adjustment was necessary to get the timing right. But I guess right is right.

Thinking about it, I'm not sure you'd be able to actually line it up (even with full adjustment) if you were a tooth off. In Ron we trust.

 

I think he's trying to advance timing, but is the OP jumping the service connector to do this?

 

Yes, As stated i have been jumping the service connector and following the correct procedure. I can adjust the timing to factory spec and also the advanced or retarded spec lines on the crank pulley as well. I have a ton of adjustment to retard the timing all i want but with the distributor hard against the stops I can just barely advance it to the advanced line.

 

Take a snap shot of this advance line.

 

Don't obsess over a non-problem.

 

there are three lines in a grouping and one all alone (TDC line) the center of the three in the grouping is the factory set timing line, I dont remember the degrees off of it but the other two are an 1/8" to the left and an 1/8" to the right, they are the advanced and retarded factory position spec lines.

All it is are 3 lines in a group less than 1/2". Standard on all 92-95 d series motors

 

thanks for your advise.

 

Is this considered true if the distributor is at one extreme or the other to get to the red mark on the crank pulley?

I would think this would indicate being 1 tooth off?

I mean yes it's in time ignition wise but off mechanically, isn't it?

 

My experience has been that if it was one tooth off then I could not get the ignition timing set at all close. But I experienced that on a d16a6 and not a d15z1.

I was hoping other VX owners could tell me if they have advanced their timing and where their distributors are sitting compared to mine.

 

Yes

No

No.

If you are able to set the ignition timing to spec, then by definition the mechanical timing is correct.

 

Correct

 

But to advance it that far just to get to that 1/8 mark is kinda weird. I never had to do that with my d15b. Oh well no point in obsessing......

 

I gotchya, so the full range of the distributor is more like the equivalent of half a tooth? Making the middle setting of the distributor to each extreme equal to say a quarter tooth?

Would that be a more accurate relation of the ratios?