checking timing help!

is there anyway to check the timing on a 2 gen, i read somewhere that bad gas milage can be caused by timing. plus i have a lit;e miss or hesitation up to about 4,000 and a rough idle.

i have a pocketlogger and it shows andvanced up to 18-19 a wot does that mean my timing is good?

2g base timing is nonadjustable.

Edit> You can still check it though. On a 95 you can ground the pin on the firewall (see manual, brown connector right of battery) and put a timing light on the crank pulley to see the timing marks and where it is. Should be 5 degrees. For 96-99s, you dont have that plug, and I cant remember how you get the ECU to hold timing without using DSMlink or a scan tool. Pulling the TPS plug may do it, not sure.

if it was off a tooth how bad would it run? i have this miss around 2,500-3,500. i have done a boost leak test awhile back, im going to do another tonight

Make sure you arent confusing ignition timing with cam timing. If you meant to be talking about 2 different things thats another story.

With a cam or the crank off a tooth it usually runs a little rough, doesnt spool properly, etc. Set the crank to cylinder one TDC and check the alignment of the cams marks using the timing belt job vfaq and my previous posts from days gone by as a guide. You can use those marks on the tbelt cover to set the crank, but its not terribly accurate. The screwdriver in the sparkplug hole trick may help, but its not accurate either. On my motors the timing marks on the cover have been good though for what its worth. At any rate, this is something that is too much of a pain in the ass to explain over the internet.

so if its not the timing what all could it be? aslo running very rich 1.05v. boost leak, spark plugs, wires, coilpack, anything else?

I keep seeing the same things posted over and over in various threads. It might be time to put down the keyboard and start to eliminate possible causes one at a time ;)

sorry i thought that was what this forum was for. i wrench on the car eveynight till 2am, just wanted some advise from others. i dont want to buy stuff i dont need. i checked the timming TDC was on, but there was some play in the piston you could have it all the way up and still go left or right to line it up with out the piston moving. is that normal? i also ordered a new 02 sensor today.

That is normal, because of the angle of the crank at that point. The crank throw is basically moving sideways at the top and bottom of its rotation. It really helps to be able to see the timing mark in the seperator plate, but thats behind the tbelt cover and msot poeple dont want to take the time to remove it.

So are you saying the timing was good? If so, ignition timing or cam timing?

cam timing, checking ignitions timing you have to ground something out, right? and have 5 deg. or something? im not sure how to check it. i tried getting the knock sensor off with out taking the intake manifold off, but it didnt work. the logger says bad sensor, i checked the wires there all pluged in.

2g base timing is nonadjustable.

Edit> You can still check it though. On a 95 you can ground the pin on the firewall (see manual, brown connector right of battery) and put a timing light on the crank pulley to see the timing marks and where it is. Should be 5 degrees. For 96-99s, you dont have that plug, and I cant remember how you get the ECU to hold timing without using DSMlink or a scan tool. Pulling the TPS plug may do it, not sure.


From a few posts up. You have a 95, so you will have the plug to the right of the battery on the firewall as mentioned above. Ground that bitch, put a timing light on the crank pulley, and read the timing. Its that easy.

k, thanks