Passed inspection, back on the road, but need some tuning help

[conquestpa]

I have it running pretty good right now but am having the following issues.

Note I have vac line 18 blocked, because I broke the platic nipple it plugs into. Also have one other vac line plugged, more detail on that later. NO vac leaks that I can find.

Hard to start when cold, when it does start, it doesn't idle up like it used to. Choke problem?

After it was running for a bit this moring, it wanted to idle a little high?

The timing is off by one tooth, I cant get it to goto TDC when using a timing light and adjusting the distributor all the way down. Is it possible to correct this on the dist end or o I have to take the belt off and move it? Tips on this appriciated...


Last one, it doesn't have as much power as it used to above 3-4 grand. It used to really start kicking in around that range... No longer...

[SteveDX89]

If you're timing is off a tooth, you'll have severe performance problems. The only way to fix this is to remove the belt and re-set the cam timing. The #18 vac line is for the choke so it's it's not hooked up, the choke won't work right.

[conquestpa]

Your kidding me? the car runs good the timing is just slightly off, but I think it has somthing to so with my loss of power after 4K... Isn't there any way to adjust it? Can't you do it throught he distributor? The distributor isn't locked against the cam is it?

[SteveDX89]

The distributor adjusts the ignition timing. The timing belt sets the cam timing. They are 2 different things. If your timing belt is off a tooth, you can't fix it by adjusting the distributor.

[conquestpa]

The what is happening when you lossen the adjustment bolts and move the dist back and forth then???

I just need to adjust the ignition timing a little more then the adjustment allows...

[SteveDX89]

Adjust the distributor adjusts the ignition timing.

The timing is off by one tooth

Is this true? If so, you must fix it. It's critical to how your engine runs.

[conquestpa]

Steve I think your wrong..

Can I get a second opinion here?

The issue up for debate is
Can you adjust the timing any more then moving the belt a tooth...

Is it possible to adjust the timing any more when you turn the distributor until it hits its stop by adjusting the dist end any more? IE avoiding taking off the cam gear...???

Steve says no, I dont beleive it...

[Bryan]

Not to be mean, but if steve says it, and you don't believe it. Then SEARCH. Because someone tried to help you out. No one contridicted it and now you're bitching cause you think he's wrong. Search for a bit, then tell us if he's right or wrong.

Bryan.

[SteveDX89]

Ok, let's see here. You can't adjust your dizzy any more. That means something else is not right. You're first post says the timing is off by one tooth. I take that to mean the timing between the crankshaft and camshaft is off by one tooth on the timing belt. You cannot leave your engine like that. You will suffer from reduced power and you run the risk of your valves slapping the top of the pistons. I don't know about you but that's not a risk I want to take. I've pulled my A20, swapped a B16 and had to pull that back out because the bearings went bad. I added a whole new shortblock because I didn't have time to do machine work on the other one. Therefore, I've taken my car and engine apart several times and I know what I'm talking about. When I put the engine back together, it was off by one tooth. It idled fine but as soon as I tried to drive it down the street, it had no power. I had it floored and the car wouldn't go any faster than 60 mph. I came back, double check the cam timing and guess what, it was off by a tooth. I took the belt back off and re-aligned everything and the car was fine after.

Quit trying to take the lazy way out. I'm telling you what you need to do to fix your car, not make you do extra work cause I think it's funny.

[maka_RTH]

if your timing belt is off a tooth, you MUST FIX IT! if you don't want to go through that whole process.., then double check and make sure that your timing is or isn't off a tooth. as for the vacuum lines, find out what they're for, and then fix them accordingly(ie wether it can just be plugged, or actually needs to be hooked up)

[A20A1]

If the timing belt is off a tooth it will also mess up ignition timing... adjusting ignition timing must be done after you get the timing belt setup properly.

What does that mean?

When you have TDC (Top Dead Center) on the Camgear and on the Flywheel... then you can set you ignition timing.

---------- NOW FOR THE KICKER ----------

First off when you were setting your timing
1) Was the car fully warm
2) Did you connect the timing pickup to the proper sparkplug wire
3) Did you disable the vacuum advance by removing and pluggin line #2 and #25 from the advance diaphragm while testing

---------- NEXT UP ----------

#18 has 2 plastic ports with that number one is on the carb ( Fast idle unloader ) the other is on the intake manifold ( Thermovavle )

---------- REITERATION ----------

Again I say double check to make sure you have TDC on the Cam gear and Flywheel at the same time.
There are different marks on the flywheel for advancing and also for TDC make sure you can tell the difference.

Only after you are sure there is no problems with cam timming can you begin to rotate the distributor... and only adjust the distributor with the advance diaphragm disabled.

[conquestpa]

Just wanted to get some other opinions, wasn't trying to be a prick to Steve.

Again, thanks for all the help a patience.

I beleive I checked the timing properly. trigger wire hooked to plug 1, shoot timing gun and adjust middle line with the point correct?

Could my lack of power after 3K be the vac advanced? Any testing methods for that?

Whats the easiest way to move the belt a tooth? Cant I pull the cam gear off and adjust that way or do I have to take everything back off again?

[SteveDX89]

Whats the easiest way to move the belt a tooth? Cant I pull the cam gear off and adjust that way or do I have to take everything back off again?

You'll only need to pull the timing belt covers, the crank pulley, and the cam gear cover. That should be enough for you to slip the belt off. You can just let it hang by engine mount while you reset the timing. Then slip the belt back on and your set.

[conquestpa]

What about loosening the tenion and moving it a tooth that way?? Ive read a little about that in my searches...

[SteveDX89]

It won't be loose enough.

[conquestpa]

It was when I put it on there the first time...

[SteveDX89]

Then do it that way.

[88Accord-DX]

Man, if I was you, I would get a timing light & check the timing before going all out on moving the belt. That would at least tell you how bad the timing is off & what you got to do.

*edit* ok, now I see you used a timing light. So yeah, you can move the belt by losing the tesioner, make sure you move it the right way. Line up the marks on the cam and crank. Might want to pull of the crank pully off to see the TDC on it.

[conquestpa]

I've been using the fly wheel for the timing light, is there marks on the crank pully too??

[SteveDX89]

No, just on the flywheel.

[conquestpa]

OK, I think I was checking the timing wrong...

here's where Im at.

I have the head timing set to TDC. I have number 1 cylinder @ TDC.

Vac advanced lines plugged. Trigger gun wire hooked to plug 1. Car warmed. Distibutor adjusted all the way forward. I see 3 marks on on the fly wheel when the gun strobes. I don't see a white dot. I see

! | !

on the flywheel. Not white dot. Which way do I have to adjust distributor? When I push it back towrd the windshield further it runs crappier. When I push it to the max both ways I never see the dot. Is the white dot come on the flywheel factory?

Im doing this with the upper timing cover off. When I shoot the gun at the cam geat Im seeing the TDC mark, but its slight off from TDC.

please bear with me, I think I'm almost there.

The car runs great, just not much kick in the ass after 3K RPM like it used to... Its also doing a little pre ignition as it always has since I've owned it... tried better gas ETC...

[A20A1]

It should match up with one of those l|l marks when you connect the vacuum advance

[SteveDX89]

You're supposed to line the pointer up with the center mark.

[conquestpa]

Ok, what if the vac advanced is messed up?

Is there even a white dot or is it just the 1|1 marks?

does

_

__

_


=

15*
TDC
15*

???

[maka_RTH]

the middle one is 15 deg aka TDC, while the other to are plus or minus 2 degrees.