a few problems with my high compression KA

[driftaholic]

dohc with sohc pistons, 2 exhaust cams, no egr, and no aiv. octane is sufficient.

problem #1: can't get timing down.the best i could only get was 15º btdc, so i pulled the distributor out and rotated one tooth, and then the best i could get was 30º advanced. coldn't get to 22-18º btdc, so now i'm just running at 15º.

problem #2: won't idle.sometimes idled around 1000rpm when my timing was 80º retarded, but now it won't idle at all. it bounces between 300 and 400 rpm, then dies. i have to heel-toe when coming to a stoplight to keep the motor alive. adjusting timing didn't help this too much. last night when i came home it stalled, smoked, and wouldn't start again.

problem #3: ticking.varies with rpm, and it's not the timing chain. i took both guides off and the chain is in good condition. closed throttle: no tickingpartially open, but not enough to accellerate: tickingaccellerating: no ticking.

checked my compression last night and it's 185-240-85-245. plug #4 had wet oil on it.

i'm also leaking oil, so i'll have to see where that's coming from.

so, who wants to take a crack at it?

[InsanityInc]

problem #1 just kind of happens.... best advice I can give is to disconnect the battery for a day (or as long as you can leave it disconnected) to reset the ECU. The ECU probably has tried to fiddle with the timing. You'll still probably never get it perfect again (I know mine won't, I can get it to about 21 at best).

However, this is also probably due to the idle problem...

problem #2... have you fiddled with the idle adjust screw? Disconnect the TPS, start the car, get it to normal operating temperature (you'll probably have to drive it, mine won't idle up to temp). Turn the screw until it's at 700 rpms, THEN you adjust the timing. It will never work right if you adjust the timing first, I found this out the hard way.

problem #3... fix 1 and two, and see if this goes away

As for compression/oil problem, sounds like your rings again, or possibly the head gasket. Are you using a metal gasket? I probably would for 11.6:1 compression or whatever it is.

[driftaholic]

i'll try disconnecting the battery and then fiddle with the idle and timing again.

i'm using a composite head gasket with metal rings around the cylinders. couldn't afford a full metal one at the time...damn

thanks

[navysnail]

ok in your compression results its 185-240-85-245, now that 185 and seems a little low if the others are 240, and i guarentee that the 85 is very low, thats about half what a stock KA is, so you may have a bent valve or a blown head gasket, although with a head gasket the problem is usually shared with another cylinder ajacent to it.

also, make sure the maf sensor has a good ground (less then .02V difference with negative on the battery) and has a good signal.

[s13sr20chris]

85 is super low but if the plug was wet then the cyl walls were just washed out. you do unplug the tps when you time it right? need to verify if its consistently rich or what.

[InsanityInc]

resetting the ECU can make quite a big difference actually. Ironically, I had to do it today myself. While trying to track down my idle problem, my car decided to run oddly today, so I went to drop the idle to stock and time it, and the idle adjust screw didn't do anything. So, I reset the ECU, adjusted the idle, timed it, and the idle problem went away. Go figure...

Though, I wouldn't be surprised if it were the rings or headgasket... weren't you having problems with the rings before?

[driftaholic]

i wasn't having a problem with the rings, per se, but i think they weren't seated yet the first time i checked compression, and for that reason cylinder #1 was 0 psi.

now that i'm off work, i'm gonna go work on my car...