Just installed new chains and tensioners, anyone want to double check my marks for me

[SR20Inside]

Pretty sure I did it right this time but I don't want to have to spend another 5 hours pulling everything apart again if it doesnt work. What do you think?

http://www.utahsr20s.com/katiming8.jpg

http://www.utahsr20s.com/katiming9.jpg

http://www.utahsr20s.com/katiming10.jpg


The timing marks on the crank sprocket and idler are right beneath the colored links.

[NemeGuero]

looks good to me, good job

now, make sure you get that dizzy hooked up right the first time now that you know you're at the first TDC

[SR20Inside]

Dude I hooked up the dist. to fire on cylinder #1 at tdc again. Put everything back together and the thing won't start up!!! It just keeps cranking but doesn't want to turn over for some reason. I triple checked the dist. and noticed that for some reason when I put the crank at TDC and then pull the dist. it wasn't pointing at #1 on the cap. Does the cars computer turn the thing at all when I unplug and plug it back in? I am not sure what else to do. I know I am getting spark, and fuel...

[NemeGuero]

remember you have 2 TDCs, rotate it another TDC and then see if you're ready to fire on #1. If not, when you reinstall the distributor, at TDC#1, make sure you compensate for the aligning of the distributor gear with the idler gear. when you push it in, it'll rotate as the gears line up.THAT is when it is important to see if its ready at #1.

Also, did you mark the distributor position on the front cover before you removed it? you know that if you rotate the distributor you change your timing right? get a timing light and see if you're off... stock timing is 20 degrees BTDC

[SR20Inside]

remember you have 2 TDCs, rotate it another TDC and then see if you're ready to fire on #1. If not, when you reinstall the distributor, at TDC#1, make sure you compensate for the aligning of the distributor gear with the idler gear. when you push it in, it'll rotate as the gears line up.THAT is when it is important to see if its ready at #1.

Also, did you mark the distributor position on the front cover before you removed it? you know that if you rotate the distributor you change your timing right? get a timing light and see if you're off... stock timing is 20 degrees BTDC

Alright I will have to check to mess with my dist. tomorrow to see whats up. I retard the gear on the dist. prior to installing so that when it meshes it is pointing exactly at cylinder #1.

I did not mark the dist. position on the front cover before removing it although I remember vaguely where it was. To check my timing with a timing light the car needs to be on so I can't do that... so if I am way off if I have been messing with turning the dist. back and forth alot then the computer could be reading something way jacked? What am I supposed to do then?

THanks for the help man sorry to be a PITA

[Al_S14]

i would ask soeone to crank the car while you check timing?
also when you try to start it stomp the gas . this way if timign is WAY off it will proaby start. turn the distributor all the way to the right and then all the way to the left. if it starts in either one or the other you will know you got the distributor off by few teeth.

another thing since you have been cranking on that thing for so long it is proalby flooded and cylinder walls washed with gas. so take all plugs out . disable fuel and spark and crank it so taht all fuel gets out of the cylinders then squirt lil bit of oil in each hole.... this helps a lot depending how bad it is.

oh and by the way
"keeps cranking but doesn't want to turn over" = oxymoron .why do people constantly say this. all you are saying is car cranks but doesnt crank!!! 2nd person this week . makes no sence to me.

[NemeGuero]

you shoulda marked the distributor before you pulled it off.. can't help you there.
like Al said, have someone try to crank and rotate the distributor until it starts, while giving it gas

then bust out the light and set it properly.. and +1 on the flooded cylinders

[ai_jo]

sorry, a bit off topic.

is the timing mark supposed to be on the red line? or is the red line 0 TDC??

[SR20Inside]

I don't see why it would matter that much if the dist. wasn't marked before I took it off though.. How many degrees of variance does the dist. provide?

You want me to just pour a tablespoon of oil down the spark plug hole or what?

[Al_S14]

I don't see why it would matter that much if the dist. wasn't marked before I took it off though.. How many degrees of variance does the dist. provide?

You want me to just pour a tablespoon of oil down the spark plug hole or what?
lol table spoon is lil much. NemeGuero how much do you think is a squirt? like half tea spoon?

did you try turning the distributor or checking timing ? what results did you get?

[Al_S14]

sorry, a bit off topic.

is the timing mark supposed to be on the red line? or is the red line 0 TDC??
i dont remember seeing anything red on any timing marks. i assume you are talking about crank pulley marks . in which case 2nd mark from left is TDC.

[SR20Inside]

lol table spoon is lil much. NemeGuero how much do you think is a squirt? like half tea spoon?

did you try turning the distributor or checking timing ? what results did you get?

I haven't had a chance to check timing yet because my timing light is broken.

Initially I had the dist. set in the middle when car was at tdc and nothing so i retarded and tried but nothing and then advanced and nothing. Not sure if it's because the engine was flooded though?

How are you supposed to get a half teaspoon of oil down the damn spark plug hole lol

[NemeGuero]

a squirt is like... umm... yah, tea-spoon ish

[SR20Inside]

so what put a tea spoon ish and let it sit or does it even matter? Also about the engine being flooded... pulling the plug and letting it sit there over night should let everything evaporate just fine?

On a side note, when I was pulling the plugs I could see quite a bit more gasoline on cylinders 1 and 4 and 2 and 3 were pretty clean if that means anything.

[ai_jo]

i dont remember seeing anything red on any timing marks. i assume you are talking about crank pulley marks . in which case 2nd mark from left is TDC.

thanks :bigok: i had conflicting information from two sources.

smog tech vs. mechanic friend

looks like smog tech won.

[SR20Inside]

can someone tell me what this means....

I had the engine at TDC, dist. set at cylinder #1 and was perfectly in the middle with the screwinto the head. I tried starting the car and no go. So I put the engine back to TDC and pulled the dist. cap and the rotor was pointing at like 3 o clock?!? Isn't the dist. supposed to be at cylinder #1 every time I put it at TDC?

[Al_S14]

no, this is what i meant by saying 180d out... thre are two top dead centers one you need is on the compression stroke. just try this few times . pull it out reset it at tdc put it back in and try again. eventually you'll get it . last i did it i got it right first time. other time i had to do it twice.

[SR20Inside]

no, this is what i meant by saying 180d out... thre are two top dead centers one you need is on the compression stroke. just try this few times . pull it out reset it at tdc put it back in and try again. eventually you'll get it . last i did it i got it right first time. other time i had to do it twice.

So I wonder if I have been putting the engine at the wrong tdc the whole time and that is why it has been giving me grief :bash:

[Al_S14]

So I wonder if I have been putting the engine at the wrong tdc the whole time and that is why it has been giving me grief :bash:
wrong TDC would only effect distributor. its ok if you have it on wrong TDC while you install the chain...if thats what you meant

[SR20Inside]

Got the car started last night but wasn't running quite right. There was a bit of a pinging sound and after running for around 5 minutes the idle was a bit rough and the engine was kind of bobbling. I went out this morning to try to see if I was off a tooth on the dist. but now the thing wont start any more. When it did start I had the rotor on the dist. pointing more around like 8 o clock direction and so I tried changing to around 10 o clock and it wont turn over. It will start cranking and then after a couple cranks the engine goes errrr like it is seizing up or some crap. maybe because the engine is firing at the exhaust stroke or something?

[SR20Inside]

So I got it running but I don't have any oil pressure... I am hoping that the oil pickup is clogged so I can just drop the oil pan because I am hoping that some rtv or some [censored] didn't get into the oil passage.. Anyone have any insight on how to go about trouble shooting this?

[NemeGuero]

your FSM has an entire trouble-shooting section devoted to... TROUBLE SHOOTING

[SR20Inside]

maybe i have a bunk copy of the fsm but I am not seeing a troubleshooting section