Has anyone had problems loosening thier distributor to adjust their timing? Is their a special tool? I was trying a 9/16 socket on a swival joint to a long extension and a 1/4" driver. I just couldn't budge it, feels like it is stripping the threads. I tried some WD40 on it and sprayed more on and will let it sit and cool down. I was trying it while the engine was warm, since I was checking my timing, and burned myself a few times. Is there a trick to it or it my be seized? Since I'm the original owner of the car, I don't know if it has ever been loosened, the timing was right on at my last tuneup. Any ideas would be great.

Thanks and car in sig.

 

Well, the timing rarely just up and changes; so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

But, they do make a special tool just for that.... named, appropriately enough, a "distributor wrench". It looks like a box-end wrench, except sort of Z-shaped with about a 12" offset about 3-4" from the box end, and a handle about 6" long.

 

If an when you do get that distributor hold down loosened, there's no need to really crank it down, I think they say only like 10-12 ft. lbs.

 

Thanks - keep the ideas coming. I'll have to get me a distributor wrench.

The base timing is off 4 degrees - with the EST disconnected and engine warm, the timing was 2 degrees BTDC, the manual says should be 6 degrees. Since my car has developed a stalling problem when coming to a stop - I was starting with the basics first, when I found the timing was off. Spent hours trying to loosen it with no luck.

 

I doubt 4 degrees would make it stall. A more likely cause of that would be a dirty IAC motor.

Also, a more likely cause of the timing being off, is that the timing chain (or more accurately, the cam gear) is wearing rapidly and is not long for the world. You may have got lucky and caught an early warning sign, which would have been obliterated had you been able to dink with it. Rather than twiddling the distributor, it would be wise to identify why the timing changed, and take care of it. Like I said earlier, the timing almost never up and changes by itself, expecially when the bolt is so tight it won't come loose. The only way for it to change, is for something that drives it, to have changed. And that something is usually the timing set.

You can check for timing chain slack by watching the dist rotor while you rock the crank back and forth by hand with the spark plugs out. See how many degrees (you can just estimate, that's close enough) the crank moves before it takes up all the slack in the chain and moves the dist.

If it turns out your chain has slack, leave the dist alone, and reset the timing after you change the timing set.

 

Yeah - I was thinking the IAC & TPS also, I just wanted to check the overall condition of things and not set the IAC/Min air/TPS with the timing not right.

You make a great point about why it changed, I need to find that out. All the timing gear/chain is still original with 84,000 miles.

Thanks for the info.

 

Go to your local parts store and buy a cheap 9/16 offset wrench. Put it in a vise and heat it with a torch. Bend till its perfect. Thats how I got my distributor wrench, and it only cost 2.99

 

Good idea.

 

Why go through all the aggrivation. IIRC Sears has a decent one for $9.99 with a nice reach and everything.

 

if all this doesn't work... *like it didn't on mine* ... go to the local parts store and dig around in the $0.99 bin and find a 9/16 box end wrench and cut it to 4 inches and slip that under there. It also helps if you have strong fingers.

Hope this helps.

 

I just pulled the cap off and used a crows foot and an extension when I had my TPI intake. with the HSR I can get at it with an open end wrench

 

Didnt seem like any aggravation to me. It beat the hell out of a 40 minute drive to a sears store (got to love the midwest). And it was a lot cheaper too.