'88 90Q timing setting procedure

[randy paquette]

We I have got the old 90Q running and even drove it a half mile or so.  Now
that I have the new disrtibutor in, I need to set the timing properly.
George was good enough to relay the Bentley info to me but I have two quick
questons.
1.  When I shoot thge flywheel with my timing light it loks like all I can
see is a 6 and then maybe an 18 - does that sound familiar to anyone?
2.  I also recall on other cars having to disconnect some vacuum lines, etc.
prior to setting the timing.  Do I need to do anything to this 5cyl NA
engine beofre jsut trying to get it at 15deg BTDC?
Thanks all!
Randy...
BTW, I also realize that the odometer doesn't work - Dave Head are you out
there?? I remember you had yours fixed a while ago and was hoping for some
advice.




>From: siambisg at uchastings.edu
>To: randy paquette <iqtpilot at hotmail.com>
>Subject: Re: HELP - Timing Belt Off by one tooth - damage????
>Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 13:40:32 -0800 (PST)
>
> >Congrats on getting it to run, George, its a good feeling isn't it!
>Please
>
>yup, damn good + relief.  The worst was when it didn't start the first time
>and sounded so bad (i'm convinced from lack of oil up top) and i assumed
>the worst...
>
>The tune up specs from benteley (pg. 00.17) for the NG engine from 1988
>model year for ignition timing are as follows:
>checking value  13-17 deg Before TDC
>adjusting value 15 +/- 1 deg Before TDC
>
>Idle rpm are listed at 790 +/- 70.  it says CIS-E III controls idle not the
>air screw on the throttle body.  If you want info on when the valves
>open/close, i can look that up too but it depends on the production date of
>the engine, pre or post 4/89.
>
>(As a comparision the 7A 4cyl engine is listed as 4-8 deg Before TDC
>checking value and 6 deg +/- 1 deg Before TDC adjusting value.)
>
>I'm thinking about the timing procedure, and realize that your situation is
>more complicated b/c the distributor is out, right?  My understanding is
>that timing is in three parts: valves/cam, crank/pistons,
>distributor/ignition.  I also know that valve and crank kept in time by the
>timing belt and that the distributor must be connected to either the crank
>or the cam (not sure which).  Do you know which?
>
>For me, I haven't disturbed the distributor's alignment with it's
>counterpart so all i need to worry about is making the cam & crank line up
>right.  I hope this is right;)  (Sorry if this is too detailed for you, but
>it helps me to articulate this way.)
>
>So, what i'm doing looking for the little notch on the engine side of the
>cam gear, which denotes TDC in cyl #1 when it lines up with the top edge of
>the valve cover gasket.  (yes, that's what the Bentely says)  Then i'm
>looking for the timing mark stamped on the flywheel,looks like:
>
>---- 0
>
>with the dash being solid and being on the front/engine side of the
>flywheel, and the 0 being in about the middle of the flywheel.  This is
>visible through a 'window' on the tranny bell housing.  Now according to
>Bentely, this '0' mark denotes TDC in #1 when it lines up with a "mark" on
>the transmission.  What this means exactly, i haven't figured out and is
>what i was trying to get from the list.  i am about 70% sure that it means
>the '0' mark should be cut in half by the bottom (straight edge) of the
>window itself so the half of the '0' is visible.  Of course i may well be
>wrong about that :)  There is also a dash a little below the dash with the
>'0' next to it that probably relates somehow . . . hmm, maybe this second
>dash is what lines up with the bottom of the window . . . if the '0' is TDC
>that second mark may be 15 deg _before_ (below) TDC ???
>
>what i'm going to do is remove the #1 spark plug, put a zip tie or pencil
>(eraser down) onto the #1 piston and see where the top of it's travel is in
>relation to the mark on the flywheel as i turn the crank over by hand.  i'm
>hoping this will clear up my confusion.
>
>Now for distributor timing, i've seen a little notch on the metal base of
>the distributor that is on the rim of the metal edge that the cap seats
>onto;it is on the front side ofthe distrib.  I believe this notch shows
>where the rotor should point to when #1 cylinder is at TDC.  actually, DO
>NOT QUOTE ME ON THAT, but i do know it has something to do with timing :)
>
>Whoa this is long, sorry if i just went over things you knew, but that is
>about what i know of engine timing, take it with a grain of salt.  i don't
>have a timing light and have just a general understanding the mechanics of
>how timing affects comubustion/drivability.  Does this help at all??
>
>George Siambis
>
> >advise the procedure you use to set the timing when you have a chance.
> >The prior email you sent hhad just the info I needed.
> >THanks,
> >Randy...
> >
> >
> >>From: siambisg at uchastings.edu
> >>To: GMBCHEF at aol.com
> >>CC: CTDiesel at aol.com, quattro at audifans.com, iqtpilot at hotmail.com,
> >>cobram at juno.com
> >>Subject: Re: HELP - Timing Belt Off by one tooth - damage????
> >>Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 00:44:48 -0800 (PST)
> >>
> >>GOOD NEWS!!  I just got it to start . . . it idles terribly . . . and i
> >>couldn't be happier :)  well, for now at least.
> >>
> >>After confirming spark I just decided to turn it over for a bit and see
> >>what would happen.  It took maybe 5-10 seconds to get going, in fact the
> >>idle was so lumpy i didn't even recognize that it had started.  I let it
> >>putter like that for another 10 seconds just to be sure it was really
>going
> >>on its own.  Also the terrible "eeee" noise i originally described
>seemed
> >>to go away, probably as the oil moved back up from the oil
>pan/non-orange
> >>filter.
> >>
> >>Now that i know it can work, i can deal with setting the timing right.
> >>:)))
> >>George Siambis
> >>'88 90q


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