Saint_Berzerker

I'm trying to set TDC for #1 with the valve cover off because all other methods have failed me...lol

So, when the crank pully mark is set at 0*, what do I need to look for to make sure I'm on the compression stroke and not the exhaust? Do I look at the springs? Help!

marko3xl3

Take out the #1 spark plug and turn the engine over. If you feel a rush of air coming out of the spark plus hole when the piston comes up, you are on the compression stroke, if not, you are on the exhaust stroke.

wrenchmonster

Well, you can, but there are easier methods. What are you trying to do exactly? What have you tried?

Think about the 4 strokes. 1) INTAKE: Piston is at the top of the cylinder, intake valve opens (exhaust valve closed), fuel and air enter the cylinder as the piston travels down. 2) COMPRESSION: Piston comes back up, compresses the air and fuel, both valves are closed to create compression. 3) POWER: Spark occurs, both valves are still closed, the spark sets off the bang and forces the piston down driving the crankshaft 4) EXHAUST: The exhaust valve opens (Intake valve closed), and as the piston travels back up exhaust gasses are forced out past the valve.

So if you are trying to set TDC #1 your goal is to to have the piston at the top of the compression stroke. Hence the piston is at the top with both valves closed, right before the power stroke.

But, you don't have to go through all that trouble. If you take off the distributor cab, the rotor should be pointing to the #1 cylinder at TDC, then look at your timing marks to line up the piston exactly at the top of the cylinder, or 0 degrees. Be careful to look at the distributor cap though and follow the path from the ignition coil to the plug. In other words, where the spark plug wire lines up physically on the outside of the cap may not correlate directly to the path inside the cap itself.

You can also buy a TDC whistle, or remove the spark plug and put a plastic straw in the cylinder and make sure the valves are closed, etc., etc.

Saint_Berzerker

It doesn't seem like it should take much to get it at TDC.

Line up the notch at 0*, and put the rotor at the #1 plug.

If it doesn't start, it would be at TDC on the exhaust stroke right? Soooooo, you should just have to put the rotor 180* from where it is at that should be correct, right?

Done it all, and still nothing! lol....turns, but doesn't start. I'm freaking lost.

ChickenLover

Are you sure that you aren't overlooking something silly, like making sure your coil is plugged in or your wires aren't crossed etc?

wrenchmonster

Sorry, but you're confused SB. TDC is achieved for every cylinder. Hence you can't just line up to 0 degrees and plop in the distributor so the rotor points to #1. You must establish that TDC is being achieved for the #1 cylinder. Don't confuse mechanical (static timing) with ignition timing. You have to set ignition timing to match static timing.

ChickenLover

Before we let this go any farther, let's make sure we all know that he is talking about the 22re. We've been through all of this info already. Either he is not listening or something has been overlooked.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116/screwed-distributor-now-im-screwed-81964/

Saint_Berzerker

Hey Chickenlover....howdy again...lol

Ok folks....I finally got her started...dunno how I did it...I just said, "to hell w/ it" and kept cranking it over and over and over and finally it fired up!

Now, of course, it idles like hell and drives like hell...but I'm just happy to have it running.

Thank you all for your help....now to the next step. Now, of course the timing won't get right. Do I need to just move the distributor 1 tooth at a time to get it right?

I'm just so glad I didn't screw the engine up...lol.

wrenchmonster

SB, I would urge you to really try and get this right. Having your rig run so rough when it did not before (I'm assuming) is not a good thing. You can potentially still do a lot of damage to your motor, cat conv, etc. Get it right... close only counts for horseshoes and hand grenades.

CL, it's been a long time. I liked your old avatar with the sexy blond on the jd combine!

-Wrench

Saint_Berzerker

Thanks wrench...well, I got it right, it looks! I put the crank notch at 0*, looked at the rotor, and it was pointing at about 12 oclock....so, I just moved it a tooth ccw, and it lined up with the #1 plug...fired it up, and the timing was already perfect at 5*!, I didn't even have to move the distributor!

I've NEVER been able to get the dang timing right on this bastage, but now it is, it looks...lol. I drove it around the neighborhood....no pinging at all up hills...and checked timing again, and again, it's right on...which is unreal to me.

I'm still getting the code 52 (knock sensor) that I've had since I put my air intake in, but it runs fine....the code 52 just bugs the snot out of me..that's when I thought it was a timing problem since my timing was never right....

But now, my timing seems to be right, and I still get the darn code 52. What else could it be? Could the noisy air intake filter I got cause this code? What else? Plugs?

I doubt it's the knock sensor, since it happened right when I did my air intake...

...so, at least I'm back to square 1! Thanks guys!

PirateFins

Put the old air intake back on and see if the code goes away. Reset the CPU. Are you positive nothing happened to the knock sensor? It is located near the oil & fuel filters and could have been bumped during a change of one of them, or if you did any starter work. all it is is a single wire with a push on connector. Just becareful with it they are delicate and cost a bundle (and I get dealer discount cost when I need a part, it was still $110).

PirateFins

Oh and by the way for future reference. When the Timing mark is at Zero and TDC on #1 on the compression stroke. The rocker arms on #1 are loose and the rocker arms of #4 are tight (if #1 is tight rotate crank 1 full turn).

Saint_Berzerker

I'm thinking it may be the wire harness or something down there too. I know where the wire with the push on connector is by the oil filter. I don't know how I could've hit it or messed it up.

Around the same time, my speedometer started going nuts intermittenty, so I was tracing the speedo wire, and that's where I saw the knock wire and it seemed loose, so I pulled it off, tightened the connector/clamp thing and put it back on, and it went on snugly, so I think it's ok?

So, I have no freaking idea why I'm getting a 52.

PirateFins

I would venture a guess that if the wire/connector seemed loose. Then the knock sendos itself might be cracked and or loose . See if you can take the wire off and carefully unscrew it from the block to get a better look at it.