How to check the timing on my 92 Civic?

[ltslimjim]

With a timing light with this sort of connector:

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/4140/1003802z.jpg

Its probably a 20 year old timing light that has been sitting in an outside storage shed for 10 years or more.

I had the timing belt job done 20,000 miles ago and want to check things out, since I have idle issues as well and want to verify timing wasn't adjusted to mask idle problems. Among other things and simply learning to use a timing light.

I mean, how do I use that connector on cylinder 1? I've seen the other timing lights that simply clamp onto the #1 cylinder's spark plug wire.

Do I need to remove the valve cover + upper timing cover in order to not be fooled by a potentially warped belt cover relative to setting the timing marks?

According to the FSM, at idle it needs to be around 16 degrees BTDC +/- 2 degrees.

ADDED: It also occurred to me that I may need to short the test pins for the ECU that you also use to retrieve any stored trouble codes?

 

[Quest]

you shouldn't be using these kind of ancient (archaic) type of ignition light. what you need is an inductive pickup type timing light (basic model ok, fancy ones with timing advancement adjustment is totally useless IMHO).

This is a must (induction pickup type timing light) is a must for those spark plug wire (distributor type) ignitions, or some pseudo-ignition wire (with high tension coil) of early OBD-II systems.

Newer, over the plug coil type system cannot use these timing light,period.

Q.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
With a timing light with this sort of connector:

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/4140/1003802z.jpg

Its probably a 20 year old timing light that has been sitting in an outside storage shed for 10 years or more.

I had the timing belt job done 20,000 miles ago and want to check things out, since I have idle issues as well and want to verify timing wasn't adjusted to mask idle problems. Among other things and simply learning to use a timing light.

I mean, how do I use that connector on cylinder 1? I've seen the other timing lights that simply clamp onto the #1 cylinder's spark plug wire.

Do I need to remove the valve cover + upper timing cover in order to not be fooled by a potentially warped belt cover relative to setting the timing marks?

According to the FSM, at idle it needs to be around 16 degrees BTDC +/- 2 degrees.

ADDED: It also occurred to me that I may need to short the test pins for the ECU that you also use to retrieve any stored trouble codes?

That timing-light will work just fine.

Plug it in at the DISTRIBUTOR end of the wire. Pull the wire at the distributor, stuff the long end of the light's coil into the distributor recess, then wedge the short end into the part of the wire that would normally attach to the distributor. It is /not/ necessary for this type of light to be close to the #1 plug, only necessary for it to be connected to the #1 plug wire.

To save yourself some shocks, plug the timing-light in first, /then/ start the engine.

Yes, you need to short the Service Check connector before checking the timing.

Don't worry about warped timing-belt covers, but do worry about being able to see the timing marks on the pulley and on the cover. Try checking the timing first, just to see if the marks are visible. If they aren't, or if the timing belt cover is hiding the inner marks on the pulley, post back here for more advice.

 

[JZiggy]

Hey SlimJim,

There'll be a little blue two-port plug with a loose green sheathing under the P/S right side kick panel. Stuff a paperclip between the two ports. Your CEL will come on and your SRS light will flash -- don't worry about it.

Yes, attach your timing light in the appropriate way to the #1 spark plug wire (closest to the front crank pulley). Your crankshaft pulley should have a little red mark at the 16 degree point, but it may have rubbed off by now. You might want to freshen it up so its easier to see. If you turn the crank with a wrench, always turn it CCW so the timing belt doesn't unseat...

 

[ltslimjim]

^Thanks. I have pulled codes from this vehicle before, but I've never attempted to check the timing.

With the vehicle off the other night, in 1st gear and parking brake unset, I was rocking the vehicle forward/backward from the front(with blocks behind the rear wheels some) in order to visibly see which motor mounts I have that I 'suspect. The rear main and probably the 2 sub-mounts(at least the one by the crank) were moving too much.

While I was doing this, it felt like 1st gear let go a couple of times, the vehicle would roll by a 1/4 turn and then 'catch' in gear again. I want to check the belt's tension side and get some valve train pics for a while now to give things a good once over. My dad had the timing light pictured above and if that meant I didn't have to buy one of the newer kinds for now, I'd try it out. Didn't think to use it at the distributor cap itself between the wire and the cap for cylinder 1.

Yes, this engine does turn CCW and I 'believe' I have the 1 mark for TDC followed by the 3 marks for timing degrees BTDC, but I haven't tried to check the timing before and will see if they are visible first. Good idea so I may mark them if they look really dull.

Any tips on lining up the marking relative to the timing belt cover? My cover is slightly warped away from the oil pan. I don't think it'd cause much variation without twisting/turning, but it is slightly 'away' from the block where the crank pulley is.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim

While I was doing this, it felt like 1st gear let go a couple of times, the vehicle would roll by a 1/4 turn and then 'catch' in gear again.




That's more than likely just the engine rolling over and coming back on compression.

 

[ltslimjim]

Ah, that makes perfect sense.

I took some pics earlier tonight and found really faded 3 marks on the crank pulley with the middle of the three marked 'red'. Where should this be lined up relative to the timing cover as cylinder 1 fires? Is it near the water pump side of the belt cover? I see a couple of notches including 1 that seems to be vertical.