Timing Chan Questions/problems

[PANTERA]

hi guys

i'm new and this is my first post here

i have a problem and was wondering if you might be able to help me

i recently changed the timing chain on my bro's 1989 240sx 2.4liter sohc engine

i think i might have not installed the chain in the correct tooth alignment...

can i just remove the cam sprocket and reposition the timing chain back on? or do i have to re-do the whole thing and take it all apart again?

i reused the chain tensioner because the new one that came with the kit was a piece of junk AND, i lost the reciept and could not return it

the old one looked to be in great condition and a mechanic said it was ok to reuse it

anyway

i appriciate any responses

one reason i say this might be the problem is becayse the car does run but if its at idle and i floor it in neutral...it just stays there( missing a lot and running very poorly...almost turning off) but stays there arouns 1000 to 500 rpm

if i give it gas slowly it will rev up to anywwhere i want...and once its past 1700 rpm or so it'll rev fast as soon as i hit the throttle

this car is bugging the heck out of me and i want to finish asap because my brother needs it for college

thanx all

bye

[NISTECH]

welcome to nico. It does sounds as if the timing is out of wack either a gear is off one tooth or the dist. is off a tooth. but also make sure the air flow meter is plugged in. also wiggle its harness and see if it improves the situation. [it could have been disturbed during the timing chain work] if thats not it pull the v/c off and set the engine at tdc by the crank pulley and see if the cam is off a tooth. if so you can undo the cam pulley bolt pull it off hold the chain up and lower the gear realign it and pull it back up into the chain and reattach it. When you get ready to pull the cam gear off ,before doing so split a 2x4 in half and shove it down between the chain to keep the tensioner pushed in.

[PANTERA]

hi...

thank so much for replying...i appriciate it very much

welll...right now the engine IS at tdc and the valve cover is off

the way i timed it was by aligning the the link that was marked (its chrome colored and all the rest are black) to the dots on the sprockets, meaning that there is 2 shiny links in the chain

i thought that this was the way to do it

anyway

with the engine at tdc the camshaft key is pointing about 11 o'clock and the dot on the cam( the one i used to time it) is at the 1-2 o'clock postiton

so how do i know if it is off and which way(advanced or retarded?)?

i do not think the mass airflow sensor is the cause of the engine rev problem because i have done exactly what you recommended of wiggleling the harness...thats why i suspect that its the chain timing...and the ignition is timed already

ps: there shouldn't be anything wrong with the chain tensioner? its seemed to be in great condition

i very much apprciate your help

thanx!!!!!

[PANTERA]

actually.....

today i moved the chains alignment around and figured that it is in the right place

so, i guess some type of electronic malfunction might be causeing the weird rev characteristc?

is there any common problems on these cars that might explain all this?

I AM FED UP WITH THIS CAR

[NISTECH]

well when you put the oil pump back in did you align its dot to its casing? this helps to get the distributor back in right.

[PANTERA]

hey !!

actually i don't think i did

do you have a picture of what you mean?

i did have a lot of trouble putting the dist in in the right place

but i did get it to run and set timing

so if i put the oil pump thing wrong(i don't know what you mean by the way) will the engine still run...but not very well?

i really really appriciate your help

thanx a lot!!!

bye

[NISTECH]

the way the pump and dist are set up on the single over head cam the shaft between the 2 is designed to line up the dist. to the correct location. if you look at the shaft there is a mark on it right near the oil pump body. You need to line that up with the little v groove on the pump body before you insert it into the front cover. then you install the distributor from the top if you look a the splined shaft in the distributor there is a half moon shape reccess inside it. look down into the fron cover you can see on the end of the shaft there is a matching half moon alignment pin. You need to line that up when you insert the distributor. You do all this with the engine at top dead center. I do not have a picture of this but hopefully my description will help you. good luck.

[PANTERA]

HEY THANX!!

But i don't think thats the problem because doesn't all that HAVE TO BE aligned correctly to set the ignition timing?,,,which i already have done more or less

what i am saying is that the engine starts and runs and i can drive it but it has low powere and if its idling and i stab the throttle its just stumbles like crazy at low rpm but if i gradually give it gas it'll rev ok and after going over 2000rpm it'll rev as fast as i want no matter what

so...the dist. alignment has to be right...right?...the dist. would not even go in all the way if it was off because the shaft it goes into has the half moon shape you said AND its splined too

thanx so much for your help

[Touchdown038]

The car will start if the distributor timing is off a tooth, I just reinstalled my oil pump with new bolts last week and I ran into this same problem.

What you gotta do is put the engine at TDC, pull the distributor and oil pump w/ shaft, line up the two marks on the oil pump and shaft, reinstall completely straight and then install the distributor. The rotor should be at about 5 o'clock pointing at plug wire #1. Takes all of 20 minutes. Hope this helps, and good luck.

[PANTERA]

thAnx

but the rotor already points to the number 1 plug on the cap...

so iguess thats not it

[Big Red]

My car ran like crap after doing the same thing as you, for me it turned out to be corroded connectors at the MAF & Engine temp sensors, cleaned them with WD40 and a wire brush and it worked fine after that.

[#RealRiceGSR#]

Please update your e-mail address in the user control panel.