94 Metro timing

[remington7]

Hello,
Just got my car back from the mechanic for a stalling, loss of power issue. He informed me, after having the car for 2 months, that he had to replace the coolant temp sensor, a leaky fuel injector, and he had to modify my distributor mounting to get the timing correct. Long story short, the car runs without stalling now but...it tops out at 55mph (25-30mph uphill) and the valves now rattle under load. I checked the timing (shorted at diagnostic link) and instead of reading 5* BTDC, it is showing about 2 inches past the 20* BTDC (toward firewall) mark. If I do this correctly, the pictures I post will show what I believe to be a cobbled distributor/timing setting. Am I right to think so? Opinions and suggestions are most welcome. Thanks.
-rem

[Woodie83]

Something is horribly wrong there, but I guess you knew that. Your mechanic went out of his way to turn the distributor in the advance direction. You say the timing is far advanced, so maybe it's just that the mechanic had the timing light on the wrong plug wire or something. Move the distributor back to the normal position and check the timing, it might fall back into the proper range, shoot for about ten before TDC with the plug shorted. If the middle of the slot doesn't get you in the ballpark, then the timing belt is out of time or the plug wires are installed wrong. The distributor only goes in one way. I'd also carefully check everything else this guy has touched.

[Johnny Mullet]

What the hell? That looks like it's 180 degrees off! What kind of hack does this to a car?

I would either demand my money back or have him fix (wait! Don't let him touch it!) just get your money back.

[metro_roy]

Rem:

This isn't a joke is it? As the others have said, no way do you want to keep it this way. How old is the timing belt in this? I would start by pulling the timing belt cover and inspect things in there. Make sure the timing marks all match up. If you don't know the age of the belt, replace it. Then put the distributor in correctly. Take the distributor cap and rotor to the best auto parts store you have and compare it to a correct one for your car. When putting the distributor back together, get rid of those torxs head bolts and replace them with a hex head bolt. Those torx will strip out some day.

[91Caprice9c1]

The others have said all that needs to be said about checking out your timing belt.

But as an automotive professional I just had to voice my disapproval of this guys solution. After two months.. that is what he came up with?

-MechanicMatt

[lancekilgore]

wow, two months! Sounds like he was lost and did not know what he was doing and the pictures show that. defffanitly fix it before something catastopic happens.
Ok so where is the plug you short out and which pins. I would sure like to check mine but don't know where the plug is.

Thanks Lance

[GM Line Rat]

Originally Posted by 91Caprice9c1

But as an automotive professional I just had to voice my disapproval of this guys solution. After two months.. that is what he came up with?

-MechanicMatt

Translation--------YOUR Mechanic is an Idiot Rem! If he was any good at these cars at all (Or any other for that matter), he would have immediately realized that being unable to obtain a proper timing setting and a running car thru adjusting the Distributor per specs (And holddown bracket limits)------The problem existed elsewhere in the car!!! 2 months for this kind of work??? Run (Dont Walk) and find yourself a new (And Competant) Mechanic Rem!......My

For reference, Here's 2 pics of the "Correct" position and mounting of a 94 Geo Metro 3 Cyl Distributor when the timing is set to factory specs, and the timing belt is new.