Adjusting the timing on a GA16i, the crankshaft pulley?
How am I supposed to be able to see a timing mark on the crankshaft pulley? I can't see the face of the pulley from the top of the engine, and from its location, being so close to the wheelwell, I don't think I could see it from underneath either. Besides, I don't think I really want to route the timing light wires through there or stick my face a few inches away from the underside of a running engine.
oh, and do I need to do anything in terms of getting it into timing mode or anything?
I have seen guides that say to rev it past 3K 3 times, turn it off, unplug the throttle position sensor, and rev it past 3K 3 more times and that puts it in timing mode?
Do I have to do something like this on a 1989 GA16i?
AFAIK, there is no need to set the ECU in timing mode or remove the tps. Make sure the car is warmed up and idle is correct. If you have xenon timing lights, it is bright enough to see the marks from the top.
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"These swaps are done more from desire and learned application with a twist of fate, rather than being orchestrated via a service manual." boost_boy My Cardomain
The reasoning for unplugging the TPS is to make shure that.. if the idle is set too high that the computer does not advance it, causing you to set it to far retarded. I have not heard of the reving to 3k RPM before unplugging, I have always just unplugged it and set the timing. The timing marks are on the outside of the main crank pulley, and the mark you line it up with is the pin sticking out of the timing chain cover. You are supposed to use a timing light from above. If the marks are covered with grease or dirt, clean it off so you can more easily see them.
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89 Sentra owner 9 years 205,000 miles and counting!
If this is the first time your adjusting the base timing, it should still be in factory setting of 7 degrees BTDC when you look with the timing light. Advance it to 10 degrees BTDC as Dropped89(josh) recommended before. He found out during his dyno session that advancing more than 10 did not make any more power. I cannot remember how many degrees per notch though.
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"These swaps are done more from desire and learned application with a twist of fate, rather than being orchestrated via a service manual." boost_boy My Cardomain
I have this old tachometer thing with two connectors that come out of it, they pretty much look like mini jumper cables, what would I connect these to? I assume it would need to be making full contact with something, unlike the timing light which has that special thing to just clamp on the wire, right?
Ok, I am still totally lost as where to see it. It isn't that dirty down there and I still can't see it, so here are some pics of the area, the front, and the back of the pullies:
this one just to show the area that I am pointing the camera down
Oh, and that isn't the timing light, just an LED flashlight, the camera's flash was screwing up the pictures.
If anyone can point out which of those pics it is in, that would be great, thanks again! I'll be out in the garage seeing if I can find it, if I do find it, I will definitely come back and let you all know.
FOUND IT! It is that pin that sticks out and there are white lines on the pulley. It is way off, the white lines are off, toward the firewall. The question is, which white line do I line up with the pin? On the sticker it says it needs to be 7° BTDC at 900RPM. Now the question is, how do I connect the tachometer to make sure the idle is adjusted properly?
EDIT:
Ok, I must really be an idiot here is everything I am having trouble with, I have been googling and haven't found much either:
1.)Can't figure out what to connect the tachometer to
2.)Can't figure out where the throttle position sensor is. My Chilton and Haynes manuals show it, but for a different engine I think, because mine, there isn't anything there. I can't really see the throttlebody either because of that black plate the air filter sits on, tons of stuff is connected to that plate thing too so I can't get that off. Facing towards the rear of the car there are a bunch of plugs on the LEFT side, above the thermostat housing, is it one of those? Would it screw stuff up if I just unplugged all of them hoping one was the throttle position sensor?
3.)I now see the white lines on the crankshaft pulley, the guestion is, what do they mean? Which ones do I have to line up with the pin?
4.)Loosening the distributor lock nut, where is this luck nut? I have looked very closely at my distributor and I can't really see any nut that would allow me to turn the whole thing just be loosening it. I thought maybe it was inside and took the black thing off the end (held on by two screws, has the plug wires attached to it), I don't see anything in there, plus it doesn't make sense, it can't be in there because you still have to rotate the thing.
Last edited by modenaf1 : Mar 3rd, 2006 at 07:51 PM.
The distributor body 'locknut' should be at the base of the distributor assembly, probably on a stud projecting out from the engine (cylinder head). Thus loosening it will enable the whole distributor assembly to 'rotate' several degrees according to the slot allowed. Don't have a Ga16 myself, but my Haynes shows a picture. Check index.
Timing principles are also described in the book's tune-up section. Basically, you need to get the pulse from the #1 spark plug flashing on the crank pulley. So you need the zap from #1 plug wire, plus a ground connection to complete the circuit, hence two wires. Check index.
thanks a bunch, I got it down and am adjusting the timing, still haven't figured out the Dwell/Tachometer yet, don't know what to connect it to on the distributor.
Anyway, now my only problem is knowing what marks to line it up with and what they mean, both my repair manuals are different that what I really have.
I have a pin that points to markings on the crank pulley, the markings are like this and this is also what the sticker on the hood shows:
Code:
O
| | | | | |
/\
|_______ orange mark
(second line from the left being what it points to as the "orange mark" under the timing light I can't tell if it is orange or not)
thanks a bunch, I got it down and am adjusting the timing, still haven't figured out the Dwell/Tachometer yet, don't know what to connect it to on the distributor.
Anyway, now my only problem is knowing what marks to line it up with and what they mean, both my repair manuals are different that what I really have.
I have a pin that points to markings on the crank pulley, the markings are like this and this is also what the sticker on the hood shows:
Code:
O
| | | | | |
/\
|_______ orange mark
(second line from the left being what it points to as the "orange mark" under the timing light I can't tell if it is orange or not)
Ok the second from the left (orange) is 0 Deg BTDC, and each one to the right adds 5 Deg BTDC so you would put it between the 3rd and 4th ticks for 7 Deg BTDC. The TPS is the black unit on the side of the TB right in the middle (connects to the throttle plates), there should be a plug with 3 wires right on it, and 2 wires coming out of it to another plug at the rear of the bundle of connectors above the thermostat housing. The 2 wires is the Idle switch, and the 3 wire plug is the TPS. As for the tach I would just go by ear for the aproximate RPM, (you should not have to hold the throttle open, just let it sit at its idle speed)
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89 Sentra owner 9 years 205,000 miles and counting!
Linear Mode
