Follow up to "Wierd"

Bumper · Mar 8th, 2005, 06:18 AM

Well, went back into the timing belt issue again. The mechanic/guru told me the right hand cam was off a tooth. Set the cam back a tooth, counted teeth to other cam (40 teeth between the dots), perfect. Counted from left cam (driver side) to crank mark (43 teeth). Perfect. However, only the driver cam mark lines up on the spot on the back plate. The passenger cam nor the crank pulley line up properly. Put back together and it runs like a scalded dog compared to before. Gas mileage is GREAT!! The "problem"(?) is that upon cranking cold, it automatically revs to 1200 rpm. After it warms up it idles to 750 rpm which is about where it should be. Haven't checked plugs yet to see if it is burning lean. I now think that the crank is off a tooth since upon lining up to TDC, the rotor is sitting to right of #1 as I look at it from the front of the Pathy. This seems correct mechanically (15deg.BTDC) speaking but want to get other input before having to go back in AGAIN. Thanks for the help. You guys are great.

blitZ · Mar 8th, 2005, 07:03 AM

The fast idle for a cold engine sounds normal to me. If it is running well, then leave it alone.

lewisnc100 · Mar 8th, 2005, 07:11 AM

I agree, it sounds fine. My cam marks on the rear covers didn't line up exactly and I didn't even see a crank mark. Counting teeth on the belt to the marks on the cam sprockets and crank is the only way to be 100% and your's appears lined up perfectly. The cold and warm idle speeds sound right compared to my 97.

Bumper · Mar 8th, 2005, 01:52 PM

Thanks for the replies. It's just what I needed. Thought I was right but you know how second guessing goes.

X-Traction · Mar 8th, 2005, 03:33 PM

Our '91 Pathfinder warms up in exactly the same way. One less thing to worry about!

jerryp58 · Mar 8th, 2005, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bumper

I now think that the crank is off a tooth since upon lining up to TDC, the rotor is sitting to right of #1 as I look at it from the front of the Pathy.

Could the distributor be set in place one tooth off?

Glad to hear it's doing better.

SPEEDO · Mar 9th, 2005, 09:00 AM

the distributor only goes in one way, its fool proof

jerryp58 · Mar 9th, 2005, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPEEDO

the distributor only goes in one way, its fool proof

Wow, that's a nice feature.

Are most newer vehicles like that?

I've never pulled the dist on anything newer than '90 and I haven't seen that yet.

**88pathoffroad** · Mar 9th, 2005, 09:57 PM

Dunno what he's been smoking, but that's not true. You can put a distributor in any which way you like, there's only one way to get it exactly right.

Canamryder · Mar 10th, 2005, 04:51 PM

I just did the Cap, Rotor, Plugs and Wires on my Pathy. The rotor has a key that keeps in timed right and a screw in the back so it doesnt fall out.

jerryp58 · Mar 10th, 2005, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canamryder

I just did the Cap, Rotor, Plugs and Wires on my Pathy. The rotor has a key that keeps in timed right and a screw in the back so it doesnt fall out.

I think we've got a couple of different ideas going around here.

1. The rotor typically does have a keyway (or some other mechanism) that allows it to go on only one way.

2. There is usually some type of screwed or bolted down clamp that will hold the dist in place so that it will not back out of the engine and so that it will not rotate and change the timing.

But, when you actually remove the distributor from the engine, I thought it can be placed back in the engine so the dist gear will match up with the drive gear so that the rotor will be pointing in any of 360*. But you want it pointing to #1 when the engine has #1 at TDC (I think on the compression stroke).

Now if there were some way to allow the gears to line up only one way, that'd be great, but I can't really imagine how you could do that, so you've usually got to play with placement until the rotor points to #1.