Im trying to set my timing after taking the distributor out, and the mark only appears on the bottom of the balancer, whats wrong?
The car idles fine, but I don't want to drive it around with the timing really off. I did change the cam and timing chain, but the I know #1 was at tdc when I lined the dots up..

Also, when the coolant sensor on the driver side head is plugged in, the temperature shows way past the red, it just shoots up to the far right, is the sensor bad or something?

[This message has been edited by rezinn (edited August 23, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by rezinn (edited August 23, 2001).]

 

ttt :]

 

If the mark is on the bottom while timing it, you either have the timing light pick up on the wrong wire, or your outer balancer ring has slipped.

------------------
ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"

 

Any other possibilities?

 

If it runs good...none that I can think of.

Maybe the crank keyway is gone??

2 timing slits cut in the balancer?? (don't laugh, seen it. )

I would check and make sure the balancer ring isn't slipped..its very common.

FWIW...if the marks are lined up with the cam at 6 and the crank at 12 then you are TDC for #6. Its fine to do it that way, it is still right.

------------------
ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"



[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited August 23, 2001).]

 

Son of a.. I got #6 at tdc then. Someone told me that they needed to match up at 6 and 12, damnit.. What should I do? It runs fine.. If I connect the timing gun to a different plug wire can I set the timing accurately? Or do I need to set the cam right?

 

There's no way to set the cam right? Basically it's located by the dowel pin so you can't move the cam gear, and the crank gear 'dot' is three keyways counterclockwise from the keyway, so if the two dots were facing each other it has to be in right, right?

Or did you set both dots on the bottom (or both on top)?

Now I'm confused

 

Yeah thats how you set the cam..by the location of the dot on the gear. The dowel pin does correspond to it, though.

I set them both facing eachother. #1 must have been at TDC, but on the wrong stroke.. Will it matter if I just hook my timing light up to #6 to set the timing? I think that may work..

 

Wait wait wait wait wait!!!

Just becuase you installed the timing chain with the dots at 12 & 6 versus 12 & 12 means NOTHING to your ignition timing! I know what you are thinking (yes, I can read minds) but it's not a problem. Rotate the engine over 360 degrees from where you installed the timing chain gears and guess what- it's the same as if you did it the other way to begin with. You may have noticed that your crankshaft spins while running.

Ditto, dropping the distributor in off by 180* or just by a few teeth. As long as the plug wires are connected in the right firing order on the cap and that whatever plug terminal tower on the cap has the #1 wire connected to it is where the rotor is pointing when the engine actually IS at TDC on the #1 cylinder, you CAN'T screw it up. Believe me, if the timing was really hosed up the engine wouldn't run. Period. And no, the engine will NOT run if you drop in the distributor off by 180* (old wives tale).

The timing mark being on the bottom of the balancer can ONLY mean what Engineboy said in his first post.

 

That can only mean that I have the plug wires on wrong, then... I guess I better change them. Thanks guys.

 

Read my post again Rezinn, I said that either way you do the timing gears is OK.

If you have the cam at 6 and the crank gear at 12, you need to rotate the engine 1 revolution before dropping the dist in pointed at #1.

If you put both gears at 12, you can drop the dist in right there.

People usually line the marks up the first way cause its easier to line the marks up.

If it runs fine you are alright on the gears, and most likely the firing order/plug wires are OK too.

What makes you so sure its not the balancer??

------------------
ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"



[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited August 25, 2001).]