5S-FE tuning help with Dwell/Tacho meter and Timing gun.

[smokycamry]

G'Day camry 5s-fe experts,

I want to tune this engine as good as one possibly can and need some directions. I have a timing gun and dwell/tachometer with me. The car itself doesnt have a tacho. Now to my question, how do I test the dwell on this car as I havent used a dwell meter before. it has a distributor with internal coil. Where do I connect the dwell meter? what range should the reading be in?

Do you have any other advice other than taking off the valve cover and getting valve clearances correct which i have to put off for later due to time constraints and having only this car for the entire family at the moment?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[N/A Camry Sleeper]

The timing is totally controlled by the ECU and is (not to my knowledge) adjustable without reprogramming the ECU unfortunately. This car has electronic ignition, so there are no points and thus no dwell. Idle RPM should be between 750 and 850RPM for manual or automatic models, respectively.

You MAY be able to use an ignition system from an MR2 to get somewhat adjustable timing, but this is likely more trouble than it's worth. Also, when checking the timing, be sure to bridge the two terminals in the diagnostic plug. If you don't have a service manual for the car, you can probably find out the procedure somewhere in this forum

Hope this helps...

[Stillrunning]

If it has a distributor you can set the initial timing with the timing light. But Camry Sleeper is right that dwell is only used for ignition points. You must have gotten the tach/dwell meter at a garage sale.

[N/A Camry Sleeper]

[QUOTE=Stillrunning;3529043]If it has a distributor you can set the initial timing with the timing light. QUOTE]

You can't, even with the two terminals jumped. The ECU will override any manual dist. adjustments once the car cycles off/on. Freakin' ECU

[Mike Gerber]

The ignition timing is adjustable by moving the distributor as Stillrunning said. The correct ignition timing is 10 degrees before Top Dead Center with terminals TE1 and E1 of data link connector 1 connected to each other. You can use a piece of wire or even a paper clip tp connect those 2 terminals. The engine should be at operating temperature when the timing is set.

As stated above, there is no dwell on this car as there are no ignition points and condensor used on this car. Most cars stopped using points and condensors back in the mid 70's.

Mike

[BMR]

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

Most cars stopped using points and condensors back in the mid 70's.

...and I don't miss 'em one damn bit! Fiddly, finicky pains in the butt!!

[smokycamry]

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

If it has a distributor you can set the initial timing with the timing light. But Camry Sleeper is right that dwell is only used for ignition points. You must have gotten the tach/dwell meter at a garage sale.

Thanks for all the responses people... and yes I did pick up the dwell/tach meter at a garage sale thinking I'd have a use for it

[smokycamry]

Sorry forgot to ask one thing. Is it possible to measure the RPM? like i said earlier this one doesnt have a tacho in the console only the speedo and the fuel gauge. anyone?

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by smokycamry

Is it possible to measure the RPM?

Did the dwell meter also come with a built-in tachometer? If it did it will also have an rpm scale and probably an inductive pick-up for #1 spark plug wire. You'd hook up the red and black leads to the battery and the inductive lead over #1 spark plug wire and you should be able to read rpm. If there is no tach on your meter then you'd have to purchase a separate tach designed to hook up under the hood, or install a dash mounted tach if you want to see rpm as you drive.

[smokycamry]

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

Did the dwell meter also come with a built-in tachometer? If it did it will also have an rpm scale and probably an inductive pick-up for #1 spark plug wire.

It does have a tach selector and scale but no inductive pickup only two aligator clamps black and red. is there a suitable point to connect these to?

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by smokycamry

is there a suitable point to connect these to?

I guess your meter didn't come with instructions? A Google search came up with this:

"A Dwell/Tach meter should have two wires. The red wire is attached to the - terminal of the coil (the one that connects to the distributor). The black wire is attached to any ground. You can then read dwell or RPM depending on the position of the switch on the meter."

"The timing light can have two or three leads. If it only has two, you would remove the ignition wire from the #1 plug and connect one lead of the light to the top of the plug and the other to the end of the ignition wire (with the aid of a metal adapter of some sort). The two-wire type goes in series with the plug."

"The more common type (3 wire) will have a wire with a red clip and a wire with a black black clip which attach to the battery (red to + and black to -). The third wire is the high voltage cable (which is usually heavier) will connect to a spring-like adapter that is placed between the end of the plug wire and the spark plug. If you don't have this adapter, you may be able to slide the boot back on the wire far enough to expose the metal barrel that attaches to the plug. Attaching the high voltage lead to this barrel (while installed on the plug) will work. If the boot won't move, you can make an adapter from 1/4" copper tubing which is placed between the wire and the plug. Clipping the high voltage lead of the timing light to this adapter will work."

[smokycamry]

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

"A Dwell/Tach meter should have two wires. The red wire is attached to the - terminal of the coil (the one that connects to the distributor). The black wire is attached to any ground. You can then read dwell or RPM depending on the position of the switch on the meter."
."

Thanks, I need to look but not sure if there is any point easy to access without removing the sparkplug cable or the distributor cap.