Retarding timing please help.

[kas14slider]

Hi guys, I did a search and didn't find a step by step on exactly how to retard the timing on my 96 s14. I don't know why, but I get confused when I try to set timing and I feel like an idiot. What's the correct procedure? I heard you have to unplug the TPS, wait for the car to warm up and idle down, then adjust the timing using the distributor and a timing light. But when we unplug the tps, the car never idles down to 700rpm, it stays at like 1500rpms even after it's been warmed up for a while. And if you use the timing light when it's like this it reads 20 degrees which is stock even thought I have the distributor fully turned counterclockwise (fully retarded). So we just tried setting the timing with the TPS plugged by rotating the distributor counterclockwise. I also heard that the ecu retards timing by itself when it senses knock. Will it do this even if you manually retard the timing?

Could anyone give me a step by step on how to retard the timing on my 96 s14?

[coolbone28]

http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=161702

[Craving4Boost]

1) leave everything alone and warm up the car to normal operating temps.

2) turn engine off and then unplug TPS.

3) turn engine back on and race it to 3000rpm 3-4 times to hold idle because it's going to want to die. When your TPS is unplugged, the ECU reads it as 100% throttle opened so the fuel map is off. That's why it won't hold idle. You'll probably have to feather is a couple times to to finally get the idle steady...depends.

4) while the car is idling (warmed up with TPS unplugged), adjust IACV screw on the back of the intake mani to adjust the idle to 700-750rpm. (important)

5) use the timing light and turn the dizzy to set the timing at 20 when you finally get the idle to 700-750.

6) plug TPS back in.

7) adjust idle back to 900ish rpm...up to you.

Be advised I found this way very unreliable and unstable because most of our IACV's are very old and won't work that well. You may want to use some Seafoam to clean it out. I suggest just getting a consult board for about 50-70$..hook it up to a laptop and set timing that way. 5x easier and much more consistent.

[Craving4Boost]

damnit coolbone you made me type all that for nothing lol. oh well...i rather do this than study for my finals....ugh

[kas14slider]

damnit coolbone you made me type all that for nothing lol. oh well...i rather do this than study for my finals....ugh

Does anyone have any pictures of the IACV screw because I swear to god I don't have the IACV on my car. I have looked up where it's supposed to be but can never find it.

Also, where can I get a cheap consult board, and what exactly is it? Is it like a ecu monitoring system that lets you change some things such as timing via a pc program.
Modified by kas14slider at 1:22 AM 6/12/2007

[Craving4Boost]

http://www.blazt.biz/index.php?dist=jerry

yes its a monitoring tool you use to display what the ecu is reading via consult port. It doesn't really let you change anything but with this you will not have to deal with adjusting idle to set base timing. Do you have a laptop?

FYI: I didn't buy mines from this sponser but I know people who have and it works fine. I bought mines from a member SlipnFall and it works great as well.

[kas14slider]

http://www.blazt.biz/index.php?dist=jerry

yes its a monitoring tool you use to display what the ecu is reading via consult port. It doesn't really let you change anything but with this you will not have to deal with adjusting idle to set base timing. Do you have a laptop?

FYI: I didn't buy mines from this sponser but I know people who have and it works fine. I bought mines from a member SlipnFall and it works great as well.

Cool, not a bad deal. But I was looking at it and it said it will work as long as you have a grey 14pin consult port and I looked at mine and it was a white 16pin port (if I was looking at the correct thing)

[dibsen]

http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=161702

Please excuse the noobness. How do you set the timing to 20 BTDC?

[240sxvaj]

this is old but then i need this so imma bring it back up hahahaha

[WDRacing]

Once you've folowed the instructions concerning warm up and TPS, you adjust the timing by aiming your timing gun at the crank. There are marks on the crank and a pointer to line them up with. You retard or advance the timing by turning the distributor itself.

WD

[zerepdivad]

Once you've folowed the instructions concerning warm up and TPS, you adjust the timing by aiming your timing gun at the crank. There are marks on the crank and a pointer to line them up with. You retard or advance the timing by turning the distributor itself.

WD

This may be a stupid question but is it ok to turn the distributor while the engine is running? I've never been too sure so i haven't tried it... And right now i really need to get the timing right on my ka24de swap, and then i can start throwing all the fun parts on.

[WDRacing]

Thats actually the best way to do it. Have someone hold the timing light and watch the marks as you advance or retard the timing. It's only at idle with no load so you won't hurt anything. This also allows you to see whats going on as you play around. Something I think everyone should do.

WD

[zerepdivad]

Ok thanks a lot. it did make a lot more sense to do it that way in my head but i was unsure if it would cause any damage at all.

[WDRacing]

The only stupid question is the one you don't ask

[zerepdivad]

Yeah i think we can all agree on that one.