timing still a little off....

[johnwc723]

well as you all know i changed my timing belt because it seemed my timing was a little bit too retarded, i thought it was off a tooth possibly. well i made sure it was synced up when i put the new one on and loe and behold my timing with the distributor cranked all the way foreward is still a couple degrees off! is there any way to adjust the timing other than turning the distributor and doing the timing belt? i was thinking of taking off the distibutor and maybe making the adjustment holes on the distributor a little wider so it could be slid to advance a little more... anyone have any better ideas?

[riced_roach]

Sorry but your still off a tooth!

After a timing belt has been replaced I rarely ever touch the distributor. I'd say putting a new belt may effect the timing +/- 1 degree if that. Usually it will be spot on.

DO NOT MODIFY YOUR DISTRIBUTOR. Back to the drawing board and do it again. Man your lucky its only a single timing belt compared to the 2 timing belt of the later generation.

I'd losen the tensioner bolt and then get a friend to put a wrench on the cam sprocket(make sure he/she doesn't move the sprocket as you slip the belt off. Make sure your crank is at tdc and keep the belt tight on the bottom end where the crank pulley is. Use a paint pen for a reference point. look for the scribed timing line on the sprocket to indicate where your at. Move it a tooth which ever direction is required. You say your retarded so it sound like you have to turn the cam sprocket counter clockwise one tooth (double check and dont take my word for facts- it just sounds like thats the solution) Your still off a tooth and turning the distributor will NEVER solve the cam/crank timing relationship.

[cruznz]

hmmmm...which gen/model has 2 timing belts?

[riced_roach]

hmmmm...which gen/model has 2 timing belts?

1990-93 with the 2.2 liters. 2 belts are under the timing belt cover. Perhaps one is called a balancer belt or something but they do require precise installation.

I just looked it up and its a balance shaft belt (70 teeth x 16mm) and the actual timing belt (CAMSHAFT 113 TEETH x 24mm)

Thats a bit of a bitch to do since its difficult to tighten the balance shaft tensioner unless theres some sort of specialized equipment tool.

[cruznz]

yeh...i gathered you meant the balance shaft belt,....just like some mitsi's and others i have replaced

[johnwc723]

crap... is this what everyone else thinks too, or could i just have some wierd bazarr distributor problem!?

[cruznz]

I'd have to agree with what Riced has said,...about still being a tooth off...you shouldn't have to adjust the dissy as you have been trying to, just to get it right

[cruznz]

1990-93 with the 2.2 liters. 2 belts are under the timing belt cover. Perhaps one is called a balancer belt or something but they do require precise installation.

I just looked it up and its a balance shaft belt (70 teeth x 16mm) and the actual timing belt (CAMSHAFT 113 TEETH x 24mm)

Thats a bit of a bitch to do since its difficult to tighten the balance shaft tensioner unless theres some sort of specialized equipment tool.

No special tool...here check this out...


http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ic/ic10430.htm

[it's paid for]

I just fixed my cam timing problem - off by one toof . . . I followed the advice from somebody who posted a reply to my question about fixing my cam timing belt . . . I can't find the exact response (it was about 4-6 weeks ago) but here's what I did (as best I can remember):

• Get to the TDC mark (not the 3 ignition timing marks)
• Remove valve cover
• Remove top cam belt cover
• Verify the cam is at 0 degrees (not 180)
• loosen the lower cam belt tensioner bolt
• MARK THE POSITION OF THE BELT
• MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE THE BELT SHOULD BE (I marked this too - because I'm a total idiot - see photo below)
• Slide the belt off the valve cam
• Keep "tension on the belt"
• Rotate the cam by one toof
• Slide the belt back on (this is when it's nice to have the mark to verify)
• Rotate the engine two full revolutions (use a wrench at the crank bolt - NOT the ignition switch!!!)
• Tighten the lower timing belt tensioner bolt
• Toss on the upper timing belt cover & then valve cover

The only thing I'm not sure about this task is this: did I loosen both of the timing belt tensioner bolts or just the bottom one? For some reason, I don't think I loosened the top one. Another thing you might wanna consider - I have a 2G, not a 3G, thus there may be some minor differences in this particular fix. My timing belt cover has a top & bottom - perhaps this is different on one of the fancy new 3G's, for example - I dunno.

Crank it up & verify ignition timing. I keep a snidlemeinger in my toolbox next to my timing light - this is a little piece of tubing with two plugs in it. Before setting or checking your ignition timing, disconnect the vacuum line from the distributor, remove one of the plugs in the snidlemeinger & attach the open end of the snidlemeinger to the distributor, then take that plug and attach it to the tube which you just removed from the distributor. Make sure the loose tubing going to the distributor doesn't fall down onto your hot exhaust . . . oops - forgot, on the fancy new 3G's the exhaust is on the front side of the engine . . . nevermind about that last comment.



And finally, you can use a mirror if it's difficult to see the alignment between the cam marks and the top of your head.

Good luck - hope this helps,

IPF

[riced_roach]

No special tool...here check this out...


http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ic/ic10430.htm

great informative site. I've done quite a few of them already and I didnt' think theres a special tool but the funny thing is that when one of the customer had it done originally at the dealership the balancer belt was sloppy and I was amazed it didn't skip a tooth or two. Perhaps tedious is more like the description I should of gave it. those springs on the tensioner in my opinion leave the belt a tad loose for my liking. Too tight isn't a good solution either but according to my "feel" the tensioning spring doesn't cut it.

Again great site!!

[cruznz]

yeh...i can relate to your description of the job,...although i have not done one for quite awhile, Mitsi's are the same, they say you need special tools for certain jobs just so the vehicle has to be taken to a dealership to be repaired,....bollocks to that i say,...where there's a will,...there's always a way

[windgat]

Hi
I have the same problem, however the marks on the cam sprocket and and the TDC marks al do line up, and isnt of by a tooth, but still the dizzy is of and the mark on the cover, with a timing light is between TDC and the 3 marks on the pulley.

The head was skimmed twice, dont know by how much, but i think that, that could be the problem. Dont know if an adjustable cam gear would help. Car runs fine but tends to run a little hot when going WOT, for top en runs.

The car is a 1986 Honda 1500, head skimmed, intake flowwed, with a custom made free flow exhaust and branches, and a weber 36 DCD7 downdraft carb with a cutom made cold airtake.

As you, am am also looking for a sullution.

[riced_roach]

Windgat,

You may be lean on the main jets so when your at WOT your leaning too much. Do you have a wideband a/f meter to tune your car??? skimming the head would effect cam and crank timing minimally but not drastically. The distributor runs off the cam so it cant be really off since the shaft can only go on one way.

Cant recall what base timing is supose to be. But if your cam and crank line up theres no issues. Just turn the distributor a tad to achieve correct base timing.