toyotadam

Hi everyone,

So, after a few months (yes, months. Time wasn't on my side.) I finally finished my remanufactured engine swap. The engine is from Oregon Engines and is the 3vze "super stock". I was able to get it fired up just fine and running good. I went to get it smogged and what he told me I couldn't understand.

When he put a timing light to it, he found it to be 30 degrees off. After researching, I have found that it is a common mistake to install the distributor 1 tooth off, causing timing to be 30 degrees off. But here is what i don't understand....the engine seems to be running great. If it was truly 30 degrees off, wouldn't it run like garbage?

I am going to pick up a timing light, move the distributor a tooth, and see what happens.

any help would be so, so much appreciated.

Side note - anybody know what's going on with Oregon Engines? They still have their website, but their ebay site is completely gone.

hockey88fan

I cant help you and wish you luck.
I'm also glad I live 3000 miles away from California.

854x4

Check it with your timing light first, it could be the distributors off, the timing belts off, or the balancer slipped. I smogged a girls 4runner with the v6 and the timing was off about 30 degrees like this and it ran ok at idle but had no acceleration.

Sturmcrow

I just did some major work to my 3vze and played around a bit with the timing afterwards. I could easily take it up to 25 degrees advanced, and she seemed to run just fine. I would be willing to bet you are off by a tooth. If you follow the FSM, there are some guidelines to getting the distributor on straight. You can also just realize that if the engine is at TDC, then the rotor should be pointing at 11:00 when the distributor is bolted down.

I highly recommend this timing light, because you can use it on any car and it has a built-in tachometer too. That tach comes in really handy when you are tuning a car.


I ended up leaving my timing at 15 advanced, and I'll see how she does. Stock is 10, obviously, but I've started putting 91 octane in there and wouldn't mind getting a little better fuel economy and power. I'll probably chicken out and move it back to 12, but c'est la vie.

Bumpin' Yota

Let us know how it turns out!

ps - F*** the people's repulik of kalifornia!!!