Ignition Timing Question

[joebob452]

I bought a '02 Avalon w/ 115k miles on it and just finished changing the timing belt.

My Haynes manual said that the #1 cylinder was the at the front left side of the engine. I screwed in the bottom half of my compression guage to tell when it was comming up on the exuast cycle with my finger over the hole.

When I aligned the marks on the crankshaft, the marks on the right camshaft would be off. I ended up making my own marks. I am done now and it runs fine. It did lack some pep until the computer stopped using the default settings (I disconnected the battery).

I'm used to being able to check the timing after I'm done though. Normally I would bridge a couple of terminals to disable the computer and check it w/ my timing light. I know there would be no way to adjust it since there's no distributor, but I would still like to know how. In chapter 5's table of contents the Haynes manual says that section 8 deals with timing adjustment. But it doesn't, it goes over the charging system.

My questions are these.

1) Has anyone else ran into trouble getting the factory timing marks to line up?

2) Does anyone know how to check the ignition timing?

3) The book shows the compression test being done with the plenum(upper intake) still attatched. But I didn't have room to pull up the ignition packs with it still on. Is the book wrong? Has anyone ben able to change the plugs with it still on?

thanks for everyone's input on my other post,

Joe

[toyomoho]

Line up the left and right cam pulleys with their mark on the timing cover. Then line up the crank pulley mark with the 0 degree mark on the timng cover and install the belt. Rotate the crank 2 times CW and recheck the all marks.

You may be able to check the timing but not adjust it. The AutoZone website has lots of info on installing the timing belt and checking the timing.

http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleId...leSelected.htm

[new echo owner]

This is for a Camry but it is the same for your Avalon timing belt: http://www.camrystuff.com/manuals/Ge...hanical_V6.pdf, page 15 on.

Shouldn't have any problem lining up the timing marks, were you using a Toyota timing belt? #1 cylinder is the back front cylinder on the right side of the vehicle.

N.E.O.

[joebob452]

I'm not sure why the timming marks didn't line up. With the crank dampner off, I turned it several times to line up the crank sprocket marks against the housing. But whenever it was lined up the cams wouldn't be. Strange. Runs fine though. The cams turn at 1/2 the speed of the crank, so if the cam marks don't match the 1st time the crank is linned up, they should after the crank is turned clockwise 360 degrees and lined up again.

I looked at the diagrams at the autozone website and they match the Haynes manual, so it is a strange thing.

thanks for all your help. It is running great. Just finished transfering my XM radio. I've got new struts and mounts comming in the mail this week. The mounts are so bad the car sounds like the fron end is comming apart. Got that old paint can rattle.

I also programmed a remote I bought for it. What a headache. The instructions on the internet where wrong. I had to combine 2 posts on this forum to get it to work.

Joe

[new echo owner]

I guess as long as it is running fine, you should be good. The timing marks are usually no more than half a tooth off if they are aligned properly.

Programming the remote indeed can be fun sometimes.

N.E.O.