How To Adjust Timing?

[RFHOMI2U]

Call me pathetic, I can change a motor, but can't adjust timing. I don't have any idea how to do it. I think it is off tho, because I get some backfiring, and randomly while driving, my car will decide to gain an extra 20 hp. or something like that. something is messed up, and I wanna mess with the timing. Before I go out there with a timing light, what do you adjust to adjust timing???? Thanks for any help by the way...

 

[Viperlocc_B18C1]

well put your engine at TDC (top dead center) and line it up with that little mark on the bottom crank pully. then with something level look at your cams and see if they line up with that little notch....if all that is good then its your distributer that has to be adjusted. with it running loosen the bolts and move it towards the firewall ((advancing)not all the way just little at a time) and towards the front (retarding) and listen to your car and see where it steadies out. now when i mean a little at a time from where it is dont move it toooo much to one direction.

but for safety buy a digital timing gun and find out what stock timing is and do it that way

 

[dohcvtec_accord]

Originally posted by Viperlocc_B18C1@Mar 30 2003, 04:08 PM
but for safety buy a digital timing gun and find out what stock timing is and do it that way

Ummmm yeah.

I definitely wouldn't recommend doing it by listening to the engine.

 

[sportlinecrx]

you got a crx like me.

1. warm up the engine

2. shut the engine off

2. hook up the timing light (the pick-up thingie goes on #1 spark plug wire, the wire closest to your timing belt cover, furthest from your distributor). the pos. and neg. wires get clamped to your battery terminals.

3. find the yellow covered plug by your driver side fender. its got a yellowcap on it. take off the cap, and place a wire or paper clip across the two wires inside. this prevents the ecu from automatically adjusting the timing.

4. start the engine. let the idle stabilize.

5. grab the timing gun, pull the trigger and aim it at the timing pointers on your timing belt cover. they are little triangular pieces jutting out from the plastic. \/ get the marks aligned in your sight, like this: \/|\/.

6. now, look at the crankshaft pulley (while pulling the trigger), and see where the marks on the pulley are in comparison to the pointers. there are 3 visible marks that look like this: | | | when the timing is to spec, the middle mark will line up with the pointers. the other two marks are +2 degrees and -2 degrees.

7. with engine stil running, loosen the three distributor adjusting bolts (you wil need a 12mm socket wrench with an extension, and a 12mm hand wrench for the top bolt). now, you need to rotate the distributor either towards the interior (advance) or towards the bumper (retard). you may need to tap the dist. lightly to get it loose.
(in your case, it sounds like its too advanced, so i would retard it.)

rotating it 1/16" will change it about 1 or 2 degrees. when you think it might be close...tighten the top bolt and go check the marks with the timing gun. your engine is running this whole time. keep adjusting till the marks line up.

if you want to set it to 2 degrees advanced, line it up to the mark closest to your front bumper.

8. once its set, retighten the bolts and then recheck to make sure it hasnt moved while you retightened.

9. shut off the engine, remove the jumper paper-clip or wire from the 2P connector, and replace the yellow cap.

10. test drive.

 

[RFHOMI2U]

Thanks man!!! That was very helpful. I went and did what you said and it fixed my problem. Lots of thanks!!

 

[KyleCrews]

Any idea if you can do the h23 the same way

 

[KyleCrews]

Does anyone have any idea. I know how to check the timing on the older style sohc engines with the point distributor. I don't know how to check my '95 h23 but i think my timing is off. Also i do have a timing gun but its for the old distributors as well. Any idea if you can use that gun on my car. Any help would be great.

 

[pills_PMD]

a timing light is not car specific . you can use it.

 

[sportlinecrx]

Originally posted by RFHOMI2U@Mar 31 2003, 08:54 AM
Thanks man!!! That was very helpful. I went and did what you said and it fixed my problem. Lots of thanks!!

COOL! you're welcome

 

[KyleCrews]

What i really wanted to know is if I can check my timing the same way you do on the crx. Does my car have the \/|\/ marks and the same yellow covered plug? Also i wasn't asking it the gun was car specific, its my dad's gun and its like twenty years old and i thought that the voltage that the gun takes might be different (from the spark plug) and if it is could i use a resistor or something? Thanx

 

[KyleCrews]

Ok. Never mind. I checked and my car doesn't have the little marks. So how can i check the timing on my 95 h23 honda prelude?

 

[prelunator]

Call me pathetic, I can change a motor, but can't adjust timing. I don't have any idea how to do it. I think it is off tho, because I get some backfiring, and randomly while driving, my car will decide to gain an extra 20 hp. or something like that. something is messed up, and I wanna mess with the timing. Before I go out there with a timing light, what do you adjust to adjust timing???? Thanks for any help by the way...

You got after market cams with bigger lobes on it and its vteck kick.

 

[2k.turbo_accord]

On number#3 Where is this on a 2000 honda accord LX?

you got a crx like me.

1. warm up the engine

2. shut the engine off

2. hook up the timing light (the pick-up thingie goes on #1 spark plug wire, the wire closest to your timing belt cover, furthest from your distributor). the pos. and neg. wires get clamped to your battery terminals.

3. find the yellow covered plug by your driver side fender. its got a yellowcap on it. take off the cap, and place a wire or paper clip across the two wires inside. this prevents the ecu from automatically adjusting the timing.

4. start the engine. let the idle stabilize.

5. grab the timing gun, pull the trigger and aim it at the timing pointers on your timing belt cover. they are little triangular pieces jutting out from the plastic. \/ get the marks aligned in your sight, like this: \/|\/.

6. now, look at the crankshaft pulley (while pulling the trigger), and see where the marks on the pulley are in comparison to the pointers. there are 3 visible marks that look like this: | | | when the timing is to spec, the middle mark will line up with the pointers. the other two marks are +2 degrees and -2 degrees.

7. with engine stil running, loosen the three distributor adjusting bolts (you wil need a 12mm socket wrench with an extension, and a 12mm hand wrench for the top bolt). now, you need to rotate the distributor either towards the interior (advance) or towards the bumper (retard). you may need to tap the dist. lightly to get it loose.
(in your case, it sounds like its too advanced, so i would retard it.)

rotating it 1/16" will change it about 1 or 2 degrees. when you think it might be close...tighten the top bolt and go check the marks with the timing gun. your engine is running this whole time. keep adjusting till the marks line up.

if you want to set it to 2 degrees advanced, line it up to the mark closest to your front bumper.

8. once its set, retighten the bolts and then recheck to make sure it hasnt moved while you retightened.

9. shut off the engine, remove the jumper paper-clip or wire from the 2P connector, and replace the yellow cap.

10. test drive.

 

[tabKola]

On that it should just be that plug behind the passenger kick panel. The one you jump to get the check engine light to blink codes.