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99 GSX base Timing 15 BTDC help..

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KrazyRob

10+ Year Contributor
77
0
Mar 19, 2012
MODESTO, California
I have a 99 GSX that I recently purchased and I recently did some work on... Im trying to work the bugs out.. It only has 51K original miles and when I bought it, it had a leaking head gasket pushing coolant and it also had a few mods, 50 trim turbo, GM Maf, Maf translator, 680cc injectors, FMIC, Aem FP adjustable, FNP header, tial external wastegate.. The car was tuned with the Maf translator at a shop from the prior own a few years back.. And the timing was advanced some how 5 degrees as I remember checking it with a light..

The car had to be smogged here in CA, so all this stuff had to come off.. I did the head gasket job and timing belts and all maintenace.. I put back alot of the stock parts except for a newly rebuilt HMI Evo 16g turbo, 3'' open exhaust went back on after I passed smog, had some major boost leaks and fixed them.. so im using stock injectors and stock MAF now and the car runs good but has alot less power than before.

It seems like it takes alot longer to spool and getting off the line is not the best unless I get the rpms up and drop the clutch, but I was ready for power loss after taking off all those mods. Just wondering if I have everything set right.. Car runs good and doesnt miss or back fire but its just a dog taking off.. All timing marks lined up when the timing belt was changed...

So after driving the car for a few weeks and not being impressed with the lack of power I put my timing light the car and noticed at idle the timing was at 15 Btdc and slightly bouncing forward to 9 degrees and back to 15...

My question is, is there a possibility that my timing belt is off one tooth or is this timing correct? I dont have any way to log or adjust timing with a tuner and I know there is not a terminal to ground on a 99 or a way to adjust timing so im like maybe the belt is off a tooth, but again the car runs good just not much power and that timing is pretty retarded.. as i believe base timing is 5 btdc... If it sounds like i am a tooth off how would I get it set right with out pulling the the whole side of the motor apart again..

Thanks

P.S Trying to get a few problems solved as I also have 2 other posts of problems im dealing with like a po300 code popping up and spuddering on the freeway (possible clutch/flywheel set up} and car getting hot when Ac is on on hot day {FMIC blocking air flow to rad}...:beatentodeath:
 
Its all stock.. what kind of intake cam issue? Like its off a tooth?
 
I dont have any way to log or adjust timing with a tuner and I know there is not a terminal to ground on a 99 or a way to adjust timing

P.S Trying to get a few problems solved as I also have 2 other posts of problems im dealing with like a po300 code popping up and spuddering on the freeway (possible clutch/flywheel set up} and car getting hot when Ac is on on hot day {FMIC blocking air flow to rad}...:beatentodeath:

Your stock ECU did not come with the ability to ground the timing terminal or a CAS that is adjustable.

But these are both things you can add...

The Timing being off from what you think or anyone else could because of a tune on it (I'd lean to a crank/cam angle issue or a timing not being right as Jus said)... It's hard to say.

But, regardless as I said you can add the ability to change your base timing or lock it at 5* or anyt other fixed point with the Stock ecu as well as eliminate the mis-fire code an could run a 1g cas to actually adjust the timing if the car doesn't have one already. Oh and you have control of when your fans come on as well. Just FYI :)
 
I think i am all right and messed up when I looked on the timing cover.. As i just checked it again tonight... When looking at the timing cover i notice the big TDC which I believe says 10 and not 15.. Well my timing sits one notch forward from that which I beleive is 5 degrees btdc right? And according to the label under the hood, 5 btdc is where I want to be.. so I believe i did everything right on the timing belt job.. Sorry not sure how i got 15 btdc... bad eye sight maybe LOL... :mrt:
 
Can anyone help with the OP's last question?

I get alot of mixed answers around the thread.

should it be set at 5btdc? Or on the T mark on the lower timing cover?
 
It hasn't spun...
i was out at 3am and decided to do my timing and tried setting it a 5degrees but ended up setting it a little infront of 5...

And now ive read that it should be set at T so that is why i ask if it would have any ill effects apart from being on the T.
 
When you said "tried setting it to 5 degrees" do you mean with it running and using a timing light (e.g. setting ignition timing)? If not, you have no control on setting base timing when you time the engine. That line on the damper should line up with the T. If not, then something is off with your timing marks.
 
Use a breaker in the crank snout and a dowel or long screwdriver in the plug hole to find true TDC on #1. If it's a single cam sprocket tooth off either way you obviously need to redo the timing belt job, but if the cam marks line up when the crank has #1 at actual TDC, you're good to go and your damper is probably starting to become 2 pieces.
 
The 5 degrees before tdc is in reference to the base ignition timing (spark advance), not the mechanical timing. Check the crank position first before redoing anything, as stated, the mark on the damper can move if the damper's rubber ring begins to separate from either side.
 
okay, im a little confused right now but with my cam gears aligned, the crank sprocket is set and pointing to 5 tdc....

would it be possible to run it like that?
 
Pull spark plug #1. Insert a phallic object. Turn engine over while marking the shaft of said object with a sharpie. When the marker starts going back over it's own mark and traveling toward the top of the object, you've just passed TDC. Now approach TDC again and look at where the damper is and if needed/desired, create a new timing mark on it. Remember, 5 degrees at the crank is 2.5 degrees at the cam.
 
ahh okay.. Ill make sure the stroke is in tdc..

Before i had the timing and it was set past the T mark. I dont know if it was past TDC or not but it had some poor performance when not in wot.

Ill go ahead and verify the crank is in TDC if not ill re-adjust..

Thanks.

My question is, would it be okay to run it a 5 if its still in tdc?
 
My question is, would it be okay to run it a 5 if its still in tdc?

No!

If your crank is at 5* BTDC when the pistons are at TDC something serious is broken. Since you insist it's not the harmonic dampener, then it means the crank is bent. I doubt this.

If your timing belt is mis-adjusted so that your cams are aligned when the crank is at 5* BTDC, you still shouldn't be driving it. Move the crank to TDC and look how far the cams are off. One is going to be too advanced and the other too retarded.
 
ROFL

I didn't even watch the video and already don't trust it.


Either way, please tell me where in the video the guy mentions to "set the crank to align to 5 on the timing cover".

You're making this way more complicated than it has to (or should) be.

If you have all timing marks lined up, you should be at TDC. Pull plug one and check. Then put damper on the engine and tell me where the white tick mark lines up with on the lower cover without rotating the engine from being all lined up at TDC.


If I wasn't almost 6 hours away from you, I'd just drive over and check it myself :rolleyes:
 
What I would like to know is how do you purposely set your timing marks like that while doing a tbelt job? You would have to put the cover, and damper on and set the crank to 5deg. Then take the cover off and install the belt.

It makes no sense. WTF
 
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