OlBlue Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Hi Guys, I am hoping to check and if necessary adjust the timing on my 91. The reason being I changed the timing belt, and the vehicle stumbles on start up,idles fine, but when I accelerate it feels like I am towing a trailer with two flat tires. Checking the codes showed knock sensor. I have a timing light and have chalked the lines on the pulley. I understand that the dist. can't be adjusted as with the earlier models.To adjust the timing I assume I have to redo the timing belt. The FSM didn;t say much and the Haynes only comments on the 4 banger and older models.Having searched the topic I can see that there is some discussion on which of the lines on the pulley I should be watching and working with... I guess my question at this point is pretty basic, given the year what am I looking for with the timing light? I definetly don't want to dive back into the t-belt because I am misreading the t-light. Thanks for any insight you can offer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Did you count the teeth between the marks when doing your timing belt? Set the distributor at exactly 15 BTDC and leave it there. DO NOT TOUCH IT!! The knock sensor code will screw you up in the timing department. When did this happen? Most likely you will have to redo the belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Adjusting the ignition timing is done by rotating the distributor. You don't have to ever mess with the timing belt, unless you put it on wrong. How many notches are there in your crank pulley? If you have 7 then it's the middle one you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 If it was running fine before you changed the belt you put it on wrong. If it was set right you wouldn't have to mess with the distributor at all. That is, unless you took the distributor out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlBlue Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) If it was running fine before you changed the belt you put it on wrong. If it was set right you wouldn't have to mess with the distributor at all. That is, unless you took the distributor out. It is a replacement engine, I changed the timing belt before I put it in the vehicle.I counted the teeth on the belt several times before reassembling and I am pretty sure I got it right. I picked up the timing light, because I want to figure out if the timing is off because as I understand it the bad timing would lead to the dragging feeling/stumbling start up and set off the knock sensor. Thanks for the responses so far fellas. Edited January 26, 2012 by OlBlue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 The knock sensor itself will retard your timing so far you will notice it. Make sure that part is working right first and that there is no detonation. What kind of gas do you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlBlue Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 The knock sensor itself will retard your timing so far you will notice it. Make sure that part is working right first and that there is no detonation. What kind of gas do you use? Thanks, maybe I am looking at this backwards eg. bad timing setting off knock, or bad knock retarding timing. I am trying to check the timing to see if it is off and making it run rough and causing the knock sensor code. Since I don't have a history with this engine, I am assuming I messed up the timing belt install. If I hook up the t-light and mark the middle mark on the crank pulley and it looks like it is stationary, I guess the timing is good and my knock sensor might be bad? I haven't completed reading on knock sensors, but haven't seen much on checking to see if they are working. I think my gas is good, my 95 is still running great (same gas) and the plugs look fine on both. Any insights are appreciated I am flying blind on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Ok, so it sounds like your ignition timing is good, so I wouldn't mess with that. Especially if you didn't remove or adjust the distributor during the t-belt install. If you are confident that you put the t-belt on correctly (the way to do this is count the belt teeth between the marks on the cam sprockets, and between the cam sprocket mark and the crank sprocket mark) then try to figure out whether your knock sensor has gone bad coincidentally with this install, or maybe you knocked a connector? If you aren't confident you put the t-belt on right, then check it, because it can cause this sort of problem if it's on wrong. Unfortunately you need to remove the lower t-belt cover to check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlBlue Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 I marked off the middle (4th of 7) mark on the crank, warmed up the vehicle and hooked up the timing light. The mark was illuminated to (my) left of the pointer. I guess this verifies that the timing is off because I botched the t-belt install and explains the knock sensor code/dragging feeling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Well, or your ignition timing just needs to be adjusted. The thing is, your lack of certainly of correct t-belt installation and the symptoms, seems to be telling me to suggest that you take the t-belt covers off and check it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlBlue Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 I agree, seeing is believing. I will get in there and verify/adjust the belt. I was certain of the tooth count when I put it together, but all signs say something isn't right. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesRich Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Put your crank on the first notch to the left, should be 0 and then pull just your top cover. The cam marks should tell you if it's off. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 One time I couldn't remember for the life of me if I'd torqued the tensioner nut. Tore the whole thing apart again just to make sure. It was fine I think I set a new t-belt speed record though, since I did it two days in a row, heh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 You need to have really good memory doing these things or OCD will come into play and waste your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 You need to have really good memory doing these things or OCD will come into play and waste your time. Did I leave the stove on at home? doubt much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 ...but I might have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlBlue Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Put your crank on the first notch to the left, should be 0 and then pull just your top cover. The cam marks should tell you if it's off. James Thanks that sounds better than removing the works to get a look. I actually hope I messed up the belt installation, and can fix it by adjusting it. That would be great. SEWebster your record is a safe, trust me on that!I will let you guys know how it goes. Really looking forward to counting those teeth, left to right, right to left, up and down, down and up...a zillion times again.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlBlue Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Put your crank on the first notch to the left, should be 0 and then pull just your top cover. The cam marks should tell you if it's off. James Thanks James that sounds better than removing the works to get a look. I actually hope I messed up the belt installation, and can fix it by adjusting it. That would be great. SEWebster your record is a safe, trust me on that!I will let you guys know how it goes. Really looking forward to counting those teeth, left to right, right to left, up and down, down and up...a zillion times again.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlBlue Posted April 16, 2012 Author Share Posted April 16, 2012 I don't like dead end threads so I thought I should close this off. I finally got Ol Blue shovelled out and made some time to check out the t-belt install. It turns out the space between the cams was correct (40 teeth) but I was off by one between the crank and the LH cam mark (44 instead of 43) . The stumbling at start up is gone, and she seems to be back to all the power I have come to expect from a 3.0L It no longer feels like I am dragging something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 awesome i'm glad that worked out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlBlue Posted April 17, 2012 Author Share Posted April 17, 2012 So far so good, seems to be running ok. The idle is now holding at about 2K which is interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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