imported_Moe_Mentum

Replacing my distributor this weekend. Kind of confused on the different ways to keep the correct timing.

1. The easiest which I have read was off of Honda-Tech which was to remove the three bolts, attach the 3 bolts back on, but make sure the the top bolt (The one used for changing the timing) is centered as much as possible.

2. Now the other ways describe marking the distributor and lining up the marks when putting on the new one. This is confusing me because I don't see how marking the old distributor will help in installing a new one.

3. And then there's the one of removing the old distributor, putting the new one one, but losely, and turning the distributor left or right until the timing is right when you are checking it witha timing gun.

In any case any helpe would be appreciated. The ppl at Honda-Tech seem to think no timing gun is required if you do it the first way.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

you WILL need a timing light, regardless, if you remove the dizzy.
#1 is WAY off the middle bolt isn't used for adjusting the timing. All 3 bolts need to be loose in order to rotate the dizzy.
#3 is how its done man, its not overly complicated. It will only fit one way. If its not sitting flush with the head then its on backwards, in which case just take it out and rotate the shaft 180 degrees.
After installing it, leave the 3 bolts kinda loose, but not too loose, just loose enough so that you can rotate it. Then start the car, make sure the idle is at or preferreably lower than 800rpms, otherwise the reading can be false. And go to town with the timing light. The pointer on the timing belt cover should line up with the middle mark of the 3 that are close together on the crank pulley.

imported_ERTW

dont forget to put a jumper in the brown connector by your ecu to make sure that you are adjusting base timing and not compensated timing.

imported_Moe_Mentum

This is something I haven't seen and I have searched a lot of threads. Can anyone confirm this? Not exactly sure what you mean by sticking a jumper on.. Do you mean grounding the connection like you would when checking for codes?

imported_Cablerat

You have to jumper the 2 pin connector when adjusting timing.
It's the same clip as when you would be checking for codes.

imported_My93Civic

Damn I'm going to be putting a new dizzy for my car tomorrow as well. But I am 100% sure we won't be using a timing gun because a) we are cheap and b) we don't really have one.

imported_Moe_Mentum

Ahh I would just do as I am going to do.. buy one and return it at Walmart or something

imported_My93Civic

Did you do it yet? Moe.

I just borrowed my uncles timing gun, and its damn hard to do so I didnt do anything!

Is there someone who is experienced in doing ignition timing? Can you check mine and adjust it if nescarry?

PM me.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

setting the ignition timing is very easy. I am in hamilton if u feel like coming out this way.

imported_My93Civic

What are the disadvantages of running the distributor at full advance (towards the firewall) on a JDM D15b VTEC running automatic, I/H/E setup?

imported_Moe_Mentum

Man I wish I was close to Hamilton cause I would take you up on your offer. I am going to give it a shot though. One thing that I am kind of iffy on is pointing the timing gun and what to look for. I am sure once I buy a timing gun it will come with instructions but I always like to be prepared before starting anything.

imported_My93Civic

Be prepared to take your time, I just tried to do it and seems friciking hard.

You point it at the timing belt cover and ou see this notch, actually you see two white notches. One with two teeth and the other with one teeth.

Then you have to find three notches on the crank pulley while is like spinning so Im like WTF this seems hard.

Maybe Im doing it wrong but I think its hard.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

well when the light illuminates (when the #1 spark plug fires) it should illuminate the 3 marks on the crank pulley, if you're aiming it in the right spot, but to me it sounds like you got it in the right spot.
Do you have the timing light pick-up hooked onto the #1 spark plug? Does the light flash and reveal the marks on the crank pulley? If so, you are doing it right. As you adjust the distributor it should move the pointer closer to or away from the 3 marks on the crank pulley.

imported_My93Civic

I only saw two marks...Couldnt see the third. Or I couldnt notice the third. The damn crank is so close to the timing belt cover and plus is farther down, I couldnt really tell what was what. The darn thing was hard to figure out.

But ya I think I was doing it the right way but it woulda took super douper long to actually feel what I was doing was correct.

BTW: My eyes couldnt focus very well doing this. With the added flashing lights, my eyes hurt..haha

imported_My93Civic

Update:

I just got my distributor, ignition timing done today by Doug Newman over at Leading Edge Motors. What a great guy, he said just come by and he'll do it for me for free, well for some lunch so I took upon his offer and came in the morning.

The first time I saw him I knew he was a Honda guy (was wearing a Honda uniform). Anyway he did it for me and told me that the guy who did my swap didn't put in the crank pulley correctly because the notches were off. Also informed me about the timing belt (I recall it being done, but now I'm second guessing).

Doug even painted on the crank pulley to see the notches. Since the crank pulley was off, he had to I think advance (or maybe retard; forgot) the distributor.

Long story short is it feels much better now, probably the way it should be. I don't have to press down on the gas all the way to make it move.

Mad props to Doug at Leading Edge Motors in Woodbridge. Check them up in the affilates section.

duge1

thanks for the kind words mike. as for the crank pulley it's only able to go on one way it looks like the cam/crank aren't timed right but if you **advance (hehe) the timing enough you can make a little mistake and correct it with the igntion timing and won't have to screw around with the cam timing

anyway thanks mike

Regards

imported_My93Civic

Oh so doing the ignition timing helped fix my cam timing as well as my crank timing? Correct?

I knew I shouldn't have gotten my swap done at this eastern indian place (no offence) but my uncle said they do swaps all the time, but their work sucked. They didn't hook up VTEC at all, they as Doug said didn't install the cam properly, and God knows what else they didn't do properly. Hopefully it doesnt come back to haunt me

imported_Moe_Mentum

Alright finally got my distrubutor in from Distributor King. But the other guy was right, Having a hard time with the timing light and knowing what to look for. Just to double check that I am looking in the right spot. I have taken pictures of the pulley closest to the front of the car, and then the three pulleys that are located beside the timing belt cover. The crank pulley (the one that I am supposed to be looking at) is the one that is closest to the Timing Belt cover correct? The one to the far left in the first picture? If that is correct when I hook up my timing light I see one white line when the light flashes, but can't find anything else. With the naked eye I can see three lines slighty but closer to the front of the car. Any help as to what to look for would be great . I am doing this as we speak!

imported_trackhack

In order to see the marks on your crank pully better you can take a piece of sandpaper and clean off the rust and such.

There should be 3 marks on the crank pulley, the 2 outer ones should be white and the middle one is either red or yellow.

When setting the timing, use the raised pointer on the timing belt cover to line up the mark.

With your timing gun hooked up and the connector inside the car "jumped, set the dwell on your timing gun to the proper setting for your car, start the car and point the gun at the crank pulley.

Since you remembered to loosen off the distributor bolts slighty, rotate the distributor in a way that allows the timing gun flash to line up with the TDC mark on your crank pulley. Shut the car off and tighten up your distributor. Start the car back up and recheck your timing. If its on the marks your good to go.

imported_Moe_Mentum

alright well I gave it another shot.. it was very very hard to see... can I assume that you can determine the timing also by looking at the flicker of the light? Anyway I did the best I could... I guess I still should take it to a mechanic to double check. By am I really harming something if a drive a day or two with the timing advanced/retarded? The idle seems to be good but then again it could just be the ECU compensating.