Idle problems..... maybe timing

[dogred]

I know I am going to get a little bit flamed for this. Under a severe time crunch and money strapped.
The back history.
I could not get the timing to dial in while using a gun. Lots of pinging while on the gas in 4th and 5th gear, especially going up inclines. The closest i could get it was 10 deg btdc.
What the mech told me
The silver link on the chain was meeting up with the number one on the cam gear. He replaced the cam gear, chain, guides, and tensioner. He said he left the crank gear and oil thrower on, but the thrower looked a little bit chewed up.
The current situation
Now it runs like crap at idle, the engine vibrates like crazy, the idle is at 1000 rpm. If I adjust the carb screw to lower the idle speed it shakes more violently. Below 1500 rpm it sounds like a Subaru Impreza.
Above 1500 rpm it is awsome. Do not have access to a timing gun as of now.
All the vaccum lines appear to be hooked up correct and tight.
Any ideas would help out.
Which coil is the intake coil?

[PEZi]

i was initially going to say vac line... because it sounds almost like it isn't running on all cylinders at idle... mine did the same thing at one point in time and it ended up being one line unplugged underneath the air cleaner

given the history though, it sounds as if something else is wrong... possibly with what the mechanic did... but i honestly don't know at this point

[dogred]

It was smooth at idle before the job, and real rough now. The good thing is no pinging on the hills!

[PEZi]

given all the info it just sounds like it HAS to be timing... but i jsut can't think off hand what would have changed since before you took it in to make it do this...

[flinterman2000]

Have you done a compression check. Sounds like one cylinder is low. Under power and increasing revs, the misfire won't be noticeable but at idle it is. If its not compression then change the plugs. By the way is there a difference in the coils? I don't think so but I'm willing to be educated.

[PEZi]

coils are the same... you can figure out which is firing and which one (in this case) might not be by following the wire from the dizzy... its labeled on the dizzy either E or I

[Nissan_Boy85]

Just talking here, but if it was better before the mechanic got in there, I would take it back and tell them to make it right, no charge to you. Basics I would check are timing, the timing marks on the gears and the chain (could be off a tooth), make sure the right wires are going to the right spark plugs, and double check that the coils are firing. Not necessarily in that order, but just things to check.

[dogred]

So I got back from my extended business trip, left the truck with a buddy and he got it running better. The problem is that at idle it is running around 1k rpms and it still has the bad shake. It is not as bad as before I left. Could the top end be a cause for this? Tomorrow I am going to take off the valve cover and check the valve lash, timing and replace the wires. Wish me luck!

[dogred]

So I redid the valve lash, replaced the wires. I think the plugs are bad. Has anyone else redid their valve lash. I followed the manual .012 feeler gauge when hot. Where should the lobe of the cam be when you do the adjustment?
I tried to follow the manual on the adjustment but it was not working out to well. It said to get number one cylinder at TDC and adjust intake valve number 1, exhaust valve number 1, intake valve number 2, and exhaust valve number 3. Then you crank the engine 1 turn and adjust the rest. While I tried to do the first adjustments the intake valve number 2 ended up with what seemed like to much play.
So I redid them all with the cam lobe in the down posistion. Did I make a big mistake by doing this?

[synack7350]

man I have no idea about the valve stuff besides what the book says. which i'd follow religiously if I was adjusting valves. with vac lines ruled out. I'd say what you have sounds like an ignition problem. have you replaced your rotor, dizzy cap, plug wires, plugs, ignition coils? 60% of all carb / idle problems are related to ignition. also something thats easy to check is to make sure your coils aren't off 180degs. just put your meter to the pos and neg of each coil and look for the blib to check polarity. it'll also tel you if you are getting your ignition input from the dizzy to both coils.

[dogred]

Well the valve noise is down from what it was, tomorrow I am going to the garage and recheck the work the mechanic did. Also going to take the cap off and check inside there. This time I will check the timing before I take it apart. It is idling a little bit better after I changed the plugs, but there is still a lot of shaking. Above 2k it runs smooth, this is kind of baffleing me

[synack7350]

dizzy cap rotor and coils work wonders man, mine smoothed right out, you'd be amazed at the before and after.

[dogred]

I took off the cap and cleaned up the contacts on the cap and rotor. Took off the valve cover rotated the engine until the valve were closed on number 1 and the timing mark was at 0. So the chain was put on properly and everything is set up correctly. Start the truck and check the timing, not even on the notch marks, well above 30 deg. I guess it could be a vaccum leak, of could it be the premium gas?

[woodbutcher5691]

Could be possible that the mech. installed the dizzy a tooth or two off since he had it all apart. Last time i put one back together, I had to install it 3 times before it was right.

[dogred]

Finally got a chance to work on the beast today, figured out that the White/Blue and the Brown wires dictate which coil is the intake coil from my wiring diagrams. Still have the timing off by alot, guess it will have to go to a trusted mechanic.

Wish I had the time to do some real work on this beast myself!