Well, I went to do a smog inspection re-test and failed timing once again. The first time I was 9 BTDC...don't know what the "B" stands for. When I got the car back home, I took out my timing gun and adjusted the timing by moving the distributor. Everything looks okay, so today I took it in for a re-test....failed timing again.

The paper the shop gave me didn't have any numbers like last time, just TDC. I ask the guy and he said I was at 0 degrees, which I shouldn't be. I need to be at 16 degrees. I don't know what he means by it, cause I don't have something that tells me what timing degree I'm at.

I want to know if I'm being screwed with by the shop. And what does the "B" and number stand for in 9 BTDC? Also, with the talk about the degree...is it right or wrong?

 

did u jump the service connector b4 u adjusted ur timing?

 

You need to fully warm the engine, so drive it for 10-15 minutes, let it idle for another 2-5. (get the dizzy loose and the SCS connector ready, and timing light) After you have reached full warm idle, adjust your timing first by jumping the SCS connector, if you don't know what this is, it is a 2 wire female connector above the kick panel on the passenger side. Take a wire, or paperclip, and short the two wires together, this will kill any advance the PCM will add. Now adjust the timing of the engine to spec.

BTDC means Before Top Dead Center.

It may be necessary after adjusting the timing to also adjust the idle if it is also off. Timing will normally up the idle, in which the IAC will cut it down by closing. The idea of this is to get the IAC at its halfway point, so it can add just as much as it can take away, for things like power steering idle boost, A/C idle boost, hot idle and fast idle.

First, unplug the IAC valve, it will throw a code, ignore it for now. If the engine stalls, check the PCV valve for a restriction, as the engine should be able to pull enough air out of the crankcase to maintain 450rpm without the IAC. If the valve is fine, adjust the idle screw until the engine stays running. Once this is achieved, turn the screw inward until 450rpm is maintained. Then plug the IAC back in, and your idle should bump to 700-750rpm, right at the spec.

 

no, I didn't know I had to use the plug when adjusting timing. So before adjusting my timing by using this method, it'll show me how much I was off? And how do I know what degree I'll need to be at? Or do I just line up the white mark on the crank pully to the marks on the block...etc.?

 

Depending on if you have a straight timing light that is not adjustable, there are white marks, and red marks, one is for TDC (if using an adjustable degree timing light) or the factory timing marks if your gun only has a trigger and no adjustment. You can search for which ones do which, because i don't know off the top of my head.

 

Okay, when aiming...do I aim and try to line up the white mark on the crank pully and the < mark on the lower timing belt cover? And after plugging the p-clip into the plug, do I then line the < with one of the 3 lines "l l l" to get 16 degrees BTDC?

I'm using the reg. timing gun...no adjustments function.

 

up

 

nevermind, found out what mark I had line it up with after plug'n in the service connector. If any more problems come up, I'll update the thread.