Cant get anymore advance

[blknblu]

OK a little backround on my car, Ive had it about a year its an 87 with an auto. I Bought it from an original owner who serviced it by the book. I always thought it was a little down on power but my thoughts where always hey its a 4cyl honda. Anyway I started doing some Tuning this weekend, made a cai, put in some good plugs good wires and said hell lets check the timing and maybe advance it a little. Car is good and warmed up I pull and plug both lines from the dizzy and its so retarted that its inbetween the tdc mark and the first white mark. I advance it to the first white mark but I know i have to get to the red mark for 15 degrees. The distributor is as far as it can go counter clockwise. Locked it up took it for a ride and I am very happy with the results. But Im still about 7 degrees retarded. The prior owner had the timing belt done just before I bought the car. For the hell of it I checked to see if the timing belt was off a tooth but its right on the money. Any Thoughts ??????

[2ndGenGuy]

Why did you plug both lines? I know it's sort of an old-school thing to do, but some of that advance is set with the lines on the distributor. The FSM doesn't say anything about pulling vacuum lines to set the timing, so I don't believe you should on these cars. Leave them on, set your timing, and then your timing will be set where it should be.

[Oldblueaccord]

Prolly your timing belt off a tooth. Check the alignment at TDC cam and crank and see where you are.

Its my opinion that its very easy to get the belt a tooth off on assemble. We get your type of question monthly this is atleast the 20th person with this type of problem since I made the statement, but I am in the minority.


wp

[blknblu]

Prolly your timing belt off a tooth. Check the alignment at TDC cam and crank and see where you are.

Its my opinion that its very easy to get the belt a tooth off on assemble. We get your type of question monthly this is atleast the 20th person with this type of problem since I made the statement, but I am in the minority.


wp

Thats what I thought but the marks are dead on :confused:

[blknblu]

Why did you plug both lines? I know it's sort of an old-school thing to do, but some of that advance is set with the lines on the distributor. The FSM doesn't say anything about pulling vacuum lines to set the timing, so I don't believe you should on these cars. Leave them on, set your timing, and then your timing will be set where it should be.


The manual says to disconnect and plug both lines :bandit:

[Bluntman]

The manual says to disconnect and plug both lines :bandit:

I ignore the manual in this case. My buddy owns a Honda shop and says leave lines hooked up. I timed mine and did smog the other day and it was dead on. And you can be +-2 degrees. With lines plugged I could not get it either. Hey it worked for me anyway.:thumbup:

[Bluntman]

When mine had jumped a tooth before I bought it, I could not see the marks at all, and I would get some predetonation under load. Aligned it back up and all was good.

[Oldblueaccord]

http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71437&highlight=Timing

this is not the best link but someone wrote out the procedure but I cant find it atm. its on here some where.


wp

[nswst8]

2ndGenGuy/Bluntman are correct. Although the manual says to plug the lines to set timing. All you will do is frustrate the hell out of yourself.

I just did this, one in Dec 09 and one in Apr 09. Leave the vacuum lines in place when you set the timing.

[ecogabriel]

OK a little backround on my car, Ive had it about a year its an 87 with an auto. I Bought it from an original owner who serviced it by the book. I always thought it was a little down on power but my thoughts where always hey its a 4cyl honda. Anyway I started doing some Tuning this weekend, made a cai, put in some good plugs good wires and said hell lets check the timing and maybe advance it a little. Car is good and warmed up I pull and plug both lines from the dizzy and its so retarted that its inbetween the tdc mark and the first white mark. I advance it to the first white mark but I know i have to get to the red mark for 15 degrees. The distributor is as far as it can go counter clockwise. Locked it up took it for a ride and I am very happy with the results. But Im still about 7 degrees retarded. The prior owner had the timing belt done just before I bought the car. For the hell of it I checked to see if the timing belt was off a tooth but its right on the money. Any Thoughts ??????

I do not recall exactly, but if you plug both advance lines the timing should go close (or right to) T mark (don't have the manual here).
But you should be able to get the timing adjusted the way others suggested here (I did it that way too). If the timing is still off I would look at the timing belt. If the mechanic who did it did not keep the belt tight on the traction side (left, looking at the engine from its front pulleys) then the timing would well be off.
With the crank mark at T and #1 in compression stroke (both valves closed), the cam pulley marks should align with the top of the cylinder head; the cam pulley is also marked on its back (side facing the cylinder head).

[Dr_Snooz]

Are we talking about a carb or injection?

The distributor on these cars is needlessly complicated and goes out in lots of interesting ways. The timing inspection outlined in the manual has you check timing in two different ways. The base timing inspection is done with the vacuum lines off and plugged. However, the timing with the lines disconnected should only be 4 degrees BTDC. That was roughly on the green mark on my AT drive plate. If that checks out, you reconnect the lines and then set it to 15 BTDC.

So, basically like everyone has said, just leave the lines connected and set it to 15 degrees. You're probably fully advanced now and run the risk of pinging. Otherwise, I think everything is fine.

[blknblu]

Thanks for the input guys once it stops raining here I plan on going out to recheck it.

[blknblu]

set it to 15 with the lines hooked up she runs good! Thanks again

[nswst8]

Easy day, enjoy.