Computer controlled timing

[Kevinpiersonandson]

95 1.8 7AFE. I have a tremendous amount of smoke and little power after my head was reconditioned. New valve seals, resurfaced and checked out. I think I am messing up the timing. No problem finding TDC (screwdriver in #1) and no problems setting up the camshafts (split gear in correct pos.) and all the marks line up. The computer has control of the adj. from TDC and when I hit the timing light on the balancer it is firing at 20 degrees before TDC, the little arrow mark 10 degrees away from the 10 that is 10 degrees away from the 0 I lined it up with. Im supposed to be at 5 BTDC right? So is my computer bad? The car idles just fine except that once it is warm I have enough smoke to clear out the neighborhood. Idle is stable and no vibrations. I am using fuel currently that has 25% ethanol which would cause a timing advace but the car has been running on this fuel for years ( Im in Brazil where all gas is 25% ethanol ) Usually you advance timing to 9-14 degrees BTC when using 99% ethanol. Any ideas on why I smoke like a retired californian? I have 100 lbs per square inch compression on all four. All spark plugs are coated with shit after only an hour of idling. Coolant is clean and clear... Oil is free of any water.

[Kevinpiersonandson]

I just tried to pull codes. No lights, no blinks, no nothing. Terminals jumped te1 - e1. Timing is still firing 20-25 BTDC. No change with terminals jumped. I rechecked timing marks... all good. I had pulled codes in the shop a week ago while I had the head in the shop. No problems. I had grounded out the positive terminal afterwards to reset the ECU. Motor ground has been attached the whole time. Did I ruin my ECU somehow? How do I check?

[Kevinpiersonandson]

I reset my ECU again, no change.

[speedy25]

You need to do a leakdown test to find out where all the smoke is coming from. Its easy to test for valve and ring leakage and even bad seals on head gaskets.

Usually computers and other electronic parts FAIL when they go bad. An exception is distributors in these cars. They can be flakey but still allow starting.

Did you forget the jumper before checking the timing?

-SP

[Kevinpiersonandson]

I jumped the terminals but I don't even get a check engine light. I just pulled codes last week, disconnected everything (again) got a problem fixed with the head and re-installed everything. Now I can't pull codes. I have good compression (100 lbs) and the entire head is in near new condition. The timing doesn't change with the terminals jumped - it should - and the computer is telling it to fire at nearly 25 degrees BTDC, this is what's causing the poor combustion and all the smoke. I think.

[speedy25]

100# is NOT good compression. Its only adequate. Do the leakdown. Its well worth the extra time.

-SP

[ganda1f]

Originally Posted by Kevinpiersonandson

I jumped the terminals but I don't even get a check engine light.

With no code you should get constantly flashing CEL. Poor connection on the TE1 and E1 while jumpering them?

Originally Posted by Kevinpiersonandson

The timing doesn't change with the terminals jumped - it should - and the computer is telling it to fire at nearly 25 degrees BTDC, this is what's causing the poor combustion and all the smoke. I think.

+1 on that. Standard timing with TE1 and E1 jumpered is 10 degrees BTDC, for normal gasoline that is, max 5% ethanol. Without TE1 and E1 it usually settles at 15-ish at idle.

[Kevinpiersonandson]

Did another leakdown and found my rings are trashed. I will be replacing them along with the bearings next week. I also found a short in the three small alt. wires which blew a 10 amp fuse in the dr. side kick panel and now I can pull codes again.. There are not any codes but that doesn't surprise me much. Anyone know where I can buy new plugs for the wiring harness? They are all brittle from the heat. Thx again all who help.

[Bitter]

dealer sells the plastic plug sans wires/terminals.