Timing at 21 degrees

[mick]

My 1990 KA 2.4 has the timing at 21 degrees. I can't retard it. Most likely the timing chain has jumped a tooth because I can't pass smog now.

WIth the cam timing a tooth off and the timing at 21degrees; what is the engine doing? What am I missing? How long can I drive like this? I think it has been a year or two since I haven't really moved the distributor in at least 14 months.

[Ligouri Rd]

Is this with the tps pluged in or unplugged? Regardless 21º is not going to prevent you from passing emissions, actually it might help by providing a better burn. If you skipped a tooth the engine would probably not run, your issue probably lies elsewhere. Do you know exactly why you are not passing i.e what are your Nox and CO levels?

[WWJD]

in Cali. your timen' matters boooWhen you check your timen' where is your idle at? make sure your idle is where it need to be, that can throw off your timen', I think it's your Idle

[mick]

The distributor is at the edge of the metal part where you bolt it down--so I can't retard it any more.TPS is connected.NO 2829CO .81

I had 2 mechanics tell me the timing chain is off.

[Ligouri Rd]

It is more likely that your distibutor is off by a tooth. Rotate the motor to Top Ded Center and take off the distributor cap and take out the distributor. Re-install such that the rotor is pointing at or just before the #1 cylinder spark position. Check your timing again, you should be able to adjust ahead of and behind 20º if installed properly.

If that don't fix the problem then it may be time to take off the front cover and see if the timing chain did indeed jump a tooth. I'd be ordering new timing chain tensioners as well so this does not happen again.

[mick]

I told my mechanic that I should move the distributor a tooth over and he said it won't work if the timing chain jumped.

Is this true?

And how is the engine running differently if the valve timing is off 1 tooth?

[Ligouri Rd]

Granted I don't know too much about the single cam engine, but I would think that with the cam off a whole tooth it would not run or would run really bad. Not just run and not be able to pass emissions.

[WWJD]

Dude tell your mechanic that it's a chain not a belt. something would of blown up that has to deal with the timing... chain, cam gear.. so on & on. so the work your self. do what Ligouri Rd said save yourself so money.

[mick]

A guy at a Nissan dealership said the oil pump may not allow the distributor to be repositioned.

That the distributor wouldn't seat.

[WWJD]

buy any chance did you ask him what was up. What could be the cause

[mick]

3 mechanics told me the KA24 is known for the cam timing to jump to another tooth

[sideways24d]

If your timing jumped i'm really surprised you don't have any bent valves if you've been running it. Has to be the distributer

[QUOTE=mick]The distributor is at the edge of the metal part where you bolt it down--so I can't retard it any more.You have another issue if you cannot get the distributer back in, and it shouldn't be fully retarded, so i would agree with the mechanic. Unfortunately sohc is not my thang so i'm not to sure but i know for a fact that the distributer should not be fully retarded and you must be like 1 tooth off. Check for vaccum leaks if your not passing emmisions, and the idle as well.

maybe when you took the distributer out the oil pump or something shifted the wrong way?

[mick]

OK.......I"ll pull the distributor out and try moving it ....................

How do I find TDC with the SOHC KA engine?

[sideways24d]

Two ways you can go about doing that. You can do what i did and time it by taking the cover off and looking at the cam positions. After the intake cam lifts off, take out the number one plug and put a straight piece of wire in the cylinder, rest it on the piston, and have someone turn the crank pulley till it gets to the top of the stroke by looking at the wire.

Or if you do not want to take off the cover, remove no. 1 plug and wire, have someone crank the car, and you put your finger over the hole. when you feel a big burst off air stop cranking, thats your compression stroke. put that wire in and back it off past tdc, then to tdc. Your on no.1 compression TDC.

[mick]

I don't know how I can turn the crank pulley by hand?

The starter might get it close after 40 tries.

But I want to somehow do this with a wrench or my hand.

[WWJD]

put a socket to the crank pully and do it by hand, I belive it's a 27mm