Timing mystery

[WhiteFinish]

Okey, there is a nice timing mystery in my car.

Some info:
- KLZE
- KLZE ignition / distributor (one with 7 nipples)
- Hei mod
- Blaster 2 coil

I put the car in Diag mode, hook up my timing light and look down the crank pully to read my timing.

Timing indicates 15 degrees.

- I turn the distributor completly towards the front windshield.
--> timing doesn't change

- I turn the distributor completly towards the radiator
--> timing doesn't change


WTF !!! What is this?

[davmac]

Guess: Timing light not connected to #1 spark plug wire?

Just not sure what else it could be. I'd almost guess that the timing light is connected to the coil wire since spark would remain constant regardless of position of the distributor, but not sure that you would see timing anything near spec - as 15deg BTDC isn't too far advanced.

[Ryan]

If you rotate it quickly, does it change? if its not in DIAG mode, it will try to re-correct your adjustments.

[WhiteFinish]

I rotate it completly 1 direction, check the timing. Than the other way around. I don't do it slowely if that's what you mean.

[Josh]

Is the engine speeding up or down when you rotate the distributor?

[WhiteFinish]

No, not noticable change in the RPM's.

[Ryan]

....does your CEL flash, fan trick work, etc... something to let you know that your DIAG mode jumper is actually working? Maybe there is buildup in one of the pins in the diag box so its not actually working.


If you are in DIAG mode, and rotating the disty does nothing..... I don't know how its possible. I can kill the engine if I fully retard it.

What does it idle at in diag mode?

Is your engine full operating temp when you try this?

[WhiteFinish]

It seems my wire between TEN and Ground was not very good.

I tried it later and get it running correctly again !
This time with megasquirt..

So cool to not move the distributor, but yet change the timing

[RX8SE3P]

For everyones info, there is a cam angle sensor inside most disty's. 93/4 look ECU look for it. 95 and above don't. If you have a 95 disty and a 93/4 ECU it won't have the sensor the ECU is looking for. It will take longer to start the car and timing the disty in diag mode won't work. Or if your cam angle sensor is just simply not working anymore, you'll also have this issue.

I had this problem. Then I changed to a 93 disty. Now the car starts first turn of the key, and I can time it in diag mode. Also, you have to swap two wires on the 3 pin plug to the disty to go from 93/4 to 95 and vise versa.