correct timing

[jakethesnake]

allright guys i know that im going to get blown up for this! i hear of about 4 different ways to time a SR20DET engine, i know all about the chain but how do you do it with the timing light?? do you have to unplug the TPS ? if you know then share...

[slider2828]

Usually TPS unplugged.... Time off the first coil with a inductive clamp type light gun. There you are set. I use Mac timing light, set the right timing on the light boom....

[jakethesnake]

see thats how i did it, but i used a craftsman gun, i couldnt even get a reading when i unplugged the TPS, and when i had it pluged up after i turned my timing up past 10 degrees the reading would jump everywhere

[slider2828]

Yah craftmsman is junk especially on SR's. Get a Mac or SnapOn gun their inductive clamps are a little better on the SnapOn... its 15 degrees top dead center...

[powersteeringless180sx]

i just did my timing over the weekend. warm up the car to temp turn off the car and unplug the tps. restart the car and make sure idle's at 850 rpm. i hooked the pick up to #1 coilpack wire cuz the loop at the back of the engine was giving me way off reading. loosen the CAS bolts and adjust timing by rotating the CAS to 2nd mark to the right which is 15 degrees TDC. i'm using Equus 3551 Xenon Inductive Timing Light. got it off of amazon and it works great.

[jakethesnake]

allright tryed again 2day and same thing is happening, my car is idleing at about 1300 RPM tho, would that cause it to do anything?

[Big Bronze Rim]

Everytime I have set my timing it is done wit the TPS unplugged. You are really supposed to make sure that the idle speed is around 800 when setting the timing. You can adjust the idle screw if necessary. There have been people who cannot lower the idle speed enough with the screw. You cannot set the base timing with the idle speed high. You usually have to restab the CAS to correct this.
As a side note, many timing lights are picky about which way the inductive clamp is facing. You might try flipping it around if you arent getting a reading.
Also, I have found 9 times out of 10, its easier to just lift the valve cover and set timing mechanically on the CAS.

[jakethesnake]

i have flipped the timing light every way possible, but yea im going to take off my valve cover and do it machanically, but when the dot is lined up with the other dot on the CAS that doesnt mean that its 15 degrees advanced im still going to have to use a timing light right?

[Kouki]

Base timing at idle on SR is supposed to be 15 degrees advanced, aka btdc(before top dead center). advanced=btdc. Because when it sparks before top dead center, it is sparking in advance to the piston reaching it's max height in the cylinder.