[TonyD]

I checked out the timing on my 92 camry. I am a novice. I think I did it right. Anyway, it is at 15. Do I have to short the diagnostic plug to check and where is that located?

thanks

 

[daddyd5150]

same problem

I don't know how to check the timing but I need to know how. I also have a 92 Camry with the 2.2 and I failed my smog check because the timing was off. I've been looking around. If I find anything out I will let you know.

daddyd5150

 

[DavePont]

can anybody tell me anything about timing stuff? I dont even know what it is, and what it does!!

Basically I think it could be like you set when your transmission actually shifts in terms of RPM but I guess I'm wrong so can anyone give me clues about that? How do you do that? Is it costy? What effects do you get?

thanks from a noob

 

[CrawlingEye]

Do a google search or search the forums. Timing is just that, it's adjusting the timing of your engine so it works in sync with itself.

To check your timing all you need is a timing light and some know-how.

 

[88 LE]

I posted this a few days ago:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t50239.html


This is what you need to do:

1. Start the engine.

2. Put in neutral. Set the e-brake.

3. Short pins (use a paperclip or a little piece of wire with the ends stripped off) TE1 & E1 on the diagnostic connector.

The diagnostic connector is a little black box attached to the drivers side strut tower.

4. Point the timing light at the crank pulley and pull the trigger on the timing light.

The timing light will flash each time cylinder #1 fires. This is if you have it hooked up to cylinder #1, which you should.

You'll see a notch on the crank pulley line up to some number on the lower timing belt cover.

Stock setting is 10 degrees BTDC (before top dead center). If its off, you need to loosen up the 2 bolts on the distributor and turn it up or down till the timing is correct.

Make sure you check the timing after turning the distributor.


Timing light hookup
--------------------------

Red clip: positive on battery

Black clip: ground

Clamp: #1 sparkplug wire.

#1 is the left most cylinder. The one near the belts.

 

[88 LE]

can anybody tell me anything about timing stuff? I dont even know what it is, and what it does!!

Theres ignition timing and crank + cam timing.

Ignition timing basicly determines when a cylinder fires. Ideally you want it to fire just before the piston reaches TDC (top dead center).

If it fires to soon theres a chance for detonation. And if it fires to late you won't make any power cos the piston is already on its way down.


Crank & cam timing sets the relation between the crankshaft and camshafts.

As the crank rotates the pistons move up and down. At the same time the intake and exhaust valves open/close.

On a 4 cyl. a cylinder fires every 180 degrees. 4 strokes = 720 degrees / 4 cylinders = 180 degrees.

But the camshafts rotate at half the speed of the crankshaft. So when the crankshaft does a full revolution (360 degrees) the camshafts will only rotate (180 degrees). This is because of the compression and exhaust cycle, each cycle takes 2 strokes.


Theres more to it then this, but I won't go into it cos I'll be typing forever.

Try looking on howstuffworks.com or google search for ignition timing, cam timing, crank timing, etc..

 

[daddyd5150]

If my timing was off wouldn't my car run bad?

 

[Kensuke]

If my timing was off wouldn't my car run bad?

Not necessarily.

If it is firing after the piston reaches TDC, then yes, it would run quite poorly because you would be losing compression. This means you're making less power and require more throttle (fuel & air) in order to get the car moving.

This is called retarded timing.

The opposite is advanced timing, which is a bit more complicated. The spark needs to fire before the piston reaches TDC because there is a very brief delay between when the spark fires and the air/fuel mixture ignites. You can usually make more power from advancing your timing but at the cost of experiencing a phenomenon called "detonation" where the air fuel mixture ignites well before the piston reaches TDC. This is bad for your cylinders.

Like 88LE said, I could talk about this for hours, generally, you can experience better benefits (increased power and gas mileage)with your timing being advanced rather than retarded. However, for diagnostic purposes, you should be running at stock (10 degrees BTDC), which is the compromise Toyota struck between performance and avoiding detonation.

- John

 

[Rasco]

88LE,

Does the car have to be in neutral when I'm adjusting the timing or is it ok to leave the shifter in park? I've had the same problems too......just recently had the valve seals/guides replaced at a shop and the timing went way off.

With the timing light..the crank pulley read way past 15 degrees. So i adjusted the dizzy to retard the timing. I pushed the dizzy all the way down (max. retard) and the timing still didn't even touch the 15 degree mark on the pulley. The car still runs like crap.

So i went ahead to check if the cam pulley is in relation with the crank pulley....I read somewhere that I needed to align the marks so I took the timing belt and reinstalled everything. Crank Pulley set at the "0" mark and the got the cam pulley hole aligned too. Is this right?

I started the car up with the dizzy set at (max. retard)....It basically had no power at all..it drove really slow. I advanced it and it had some power...but there was still something noticably wrong. Adjusted the timing again....and set it @10 degrees. Still the same. The car ran very very sluggish. So I advanced the dizzy a higher to where it was drivable. Timing went up past 15 degrees. At times the car would accelerate very slow and i would hear 1 or 2 knocking sounds when i try to floor it. but Once the car is at high speeds there's no problem the top end is really good and its fast too. Idle is high & Gas mileage sucks tho'.

Whats wrong with the car? Did I set the cam and crank position right? Or did the shop install the camshafts wrong? Sorry its kinda long...I really need the help.

**Since the timing is advanced....I switched to 91 octane and changed the stock filter box with a true CAI just so nothing is restricted. I bought new plugs and an ignition coil (not yet installed) until I can fix this timing problem.

I dont want to bring the car back to the shop...and deal with all their BS. Any help is appreciated Thanks

 

[Kensuke]

On an automatic, the car should be in park. I believe that 88LE was talking about a stickshift when he said neutral. Make sure you bridge the dianostic connectors so you can set the base timing, and turn off ALL accessories (especially the A/C).

Either you skipped a tooth on the camshaft when putting on the belt or something else is wrong. The fact that you couldn't get the dizzy to retard to 10 degrees is a bad sign. However, you seemed to have fixed that problem when you replaced the belt and make sure the cam pulley was lined up with the hole.

There's a good chance that something else is wrong. If it holds 10 degrees when set to base timing and doesn't idle excessively rough, than your problem lies elsewhere. In my case, it turned out that my catalytic convertor was clogged, and it caused poor power and gas mileage.

- John

 

[88 LE]

Does the car have to be in neutral when I'm adjusting the timing or is it ok to leave the shifter in park?

I don't think it matters. However the sticker on the firewall near the brake booster says to check the timing with the tranny in neutral.

I've checked the timing on my car with the tranny in neutral and park and its the same.

I read somewhere that I needed to align the marks so I took the timing belt and reinstalled everything. Crank Pulley set at the "0" mark and the got the cam pulley hole aligned too. Is this right?

Correct.

Notch on crank pulley lined up to "0" mark on lower timing belt cover.

Hole in cam pulley lined up to the notch on the bearing cap.

http://yotarepair.com/5S-FEtimingbelt.html

Whats wrong with the car? Did I set the cam and crank position right? Or did the shop install the camshafts wrong?

Something is definitely out of whack. The engine should run fine with the ignition timing set at 10 degrees BTDC, which is the stock setting.

Its possible that the shop reinstalled the camshafts wrong. I would check it.

1. Remove the valve cover.

2. On the right side of the gears on the camshafts is 2 sets of alignment marks.

Make sure the first set of marks on both camshafts line up to each other.

Good luck.

 

[Rasco]

Thanks guys.....I'll go ahead and check if the the marks on the camshafts line up to each other. :thumbup: I too....also thought the catalytic was clogged so I ended up gutting it. But its definately the timing.