n00blar

Well, I've been taking a break with the restoration project, and now I'm getting back into it again.
Here's a problem that I still haven't been able to fix, and honestly I'm clueless about it.

I want to say I have a timing problem with my car, which it may be the reason why I have all that popping; however, I don't really know at this point. So, I read my Haynes book and I'm supposed to be at 8 degrees +-2, if my memory serves me well. I bought a timing gun, and well...the timing mark is completely off...not even close to the timing plate by at least 1.5 to 2 inches.

When I advanced the distributor to its max, the timing mark moves just close enough to the timing plate, the plate...not the timing mark. I attached a picture to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Car still runs even like that, but how do I go about fixing this thing? Oh, if I advance the timing, the popping is not as noticeable, but still some.

duowing

Did you try turning the distributor the other way? Also this could be a sign of ignition module. When I replaced mine and went back to reset the timing, the mark was in a completely different location. Also you may want to check your plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc. Also was the oil pump at any point removed or reinstalled?

n00blar

If I turn the distro the other way (clockwise), it retards the engine.

All wires, rotor, cap and plugs are brand new.

Yes, this has been a lingering problem since I rebuilt the engine. Yes, the oil pump was removed along with everything else.

rogerz

Sounds like the diffy is off by a tooth or two on the oil pump drive gear. You need to drop the oil pump and index the dizzy drive shaft by one tooth in the proper direction.

n00blar

Ok, this is one of those things I've never done; care to give me a few more details?

NismoPick

You need to set the motor to TDC, drop anti-sway bar, drop the oil pump, align the oil pump dots, and re-install. There is a section in the Haynes manual about installing the oil pump correctly. I believe the rotor of the distrib should be pointing straight forward to the radiator for cyl# 1

nismo619

Dont let it be the problem i had i bought a 1983 280zxt 2+2 digital dash some one before me did a vavle job and didnt set the top cam to the right timing mark let alone didint set the cam to the right open closed postion. After total tear down i found out what the problem was. My idea to u is like nismopick says pull out your number one spark plugs all 6 of them if u want it eazy to sping the crank
1 take out all sprak plugs
2 take off valve cover
3 used 19mm open end wrench turn clock wise
4 sitck a rod in the number 1 cyclendar in the spark plug hole
5 make sure your mark on the harmonic babalcer is on TDC
6 If u have any friends over with another 280zx check there camshaft postion this is how i found out my 83 was way off !
7 u can take off your oil pump with the sway bar on but its a pain in the A$$ to move.
8 hanyns manual tells u to put the oil pump rod lined up on the hole on the side of the oil pump 9 times out of ten u will be one tooth off. thats why they tell u to adjust it i guess.

snwbrderphat540

those arent that great of instructions... ^^^^ close, but a bit vague and uhh... yeah

this is best done with 2 people. get one person to stick a socket wrench on the crank so he can rotate the motor by hand. take off the valve cover, take out the number one cylinder spark plug. rotate crank until the cam lobes for the number one cylinder are clear of the rockers. now with a good flashlight look into the number one cylinder and watch as the piston rizes into view. have him stop rotating the motor once the cylinder starts to drop back down, obviously have him give it a like turn back so its back to TDC (top dead center) now the number one cylinder should be all the way up and the cam lobes from it are pointing up as well. now unbolt the sway bar from the frame, it should move enough to get at the 4 oil pump bolts out. remove them, drop the oil pump, a shaft should come with it about 6-7 inches long. also remove the distributor. line up the tiny little dot on the oil pump shaft (should be just below the gear on the shaft) with the dot thats in the triangular indentation on the oil pump, now insert the assembly back on up in there (with out letting the oil pump shaft rotate on you) and bolt the oil pump back up. since this is a non-turbo the flat side of the crescent (this is looking at where the dizzy would mount you see the top of the oil pump shaft) should be pointing about 15 degrees past the 12oclock position (clockwise) basically at its two oclock (this is standing at the fender of the car). now assemble it all back together. the haynes manuel has a GREAT diagram picture explanation of this process. this should allow you to time the car properly. enjoy!!!!

rogerz

get a long bolt and cut the head off so that when you drop the oil pump you have a guide pin to push it back up. or a piece of all thread maybe 3-4 inches long. forget the size but believe it is an m8 bolt. TAke one of the oil pump bolts and look thru your junk pile til you find the same bolt but 4 inch long then cut off the head. YOu don't need this but sure makes your life easier putting things together. Remove the guide pin and put it someplace with a tag you will probably use it again I know I have.

260zturbo

yea make sure u get it tdc b4 u put the shaft back in. but b4 u put your pump back in make sure u fill it up with oil.

Yogi1200

Mine has the plug wires on the distributer 180* off. Instead of the #1 wire at the front, its at the back. I think the guy that rebuilt it put the cam in 180 off! Still runs, but not that well. not fireing on all 6cyl's!

bama16

can't you just find which way the rotor for the dizzy is pointing based on the oil pump shaft location now... and start #1 wire there and go around 153624 from that point...it will only be off if you are starting #1 wire at the stock location for a completely stock motor. just start the wires from a dif spot...other than that it shouldn't really matter.

NismoPick

I read that several times and it still doesn't make sense...

We're talking about the rotor being off one or two notches, throwing the timing pretty far off. Re-arranging the plug wires won't fix that unless the shaft has been moved the exact amount of notches back or forward to sit under #5 or #4.

nismo619

bama16 that method doesnt work at all " the top spocket and the bottom spoket must match : meening this: " bottom sproket at TDC " and top sproket with the camshaft lobes open postion " this is how it is on my turbo 82 i hope this makes sense .

p.s. on my 1982 280zxt the cam shaft lobes are the two in the dead denter that are open postion i belive numbers 3 and 4 cyclendars. the rest of the cylendars should be closed.

bama16

somehow i picked up it was an 81 turbo....where what i was saying would work...cause the spark is pulled off the cas...and that's gonna be accurate almost no matter what you do. and the dizzy just delivers spark. so as long as the motor sparks when it should (can't REALLY screw that up) all you have to do is make sure the #1 plug starts where the rotor points when the motor is at tdc, and spark will be delivered to the correct cylinder. oil pump shaft position won't matter in that case

NismoPick

You still haven't explained HOW to do that... do you mean to turn the distrib farther than it is limited to? Then how is it secured to the timing chain housing?

bama16

set motor to tdc...take cap off and see what spot the rotor is pointing to the the dizzy cap...start #1 there and then work around 153624...and you are set....cause i was think 81 turbo...soo all the dizzy on an 81 turbo does is deliver spark...it doesn't determine spark. so as long as the rotor is pointing at the right spot at tdc...and that plug wire runs to #1 cyl...it doesn't matter where #1 plug wire is on the dizzy compared to a stock motor and it's starting location

NismoPick

Again... if the rotor is under #3 at TDC, you suggest just turning the distrib way out of spec and somehow re-secure it? Why not just correct the problem properly?

snwbrderphat540

i think he is saying move the plug boots areound to where the rotor is pointing starting plug number one where ever the hell the rotor is pointing.... which will never work. lol.

bama16

i was saying that i somehow picked up it was an 81 turbo...where spark is picked up from the cas on the front of the motor...it does work. later i went back and saw it's an 81 NA, the only reason i continued with the post is because he asked me to elaborate...the motor will fire when the cas tells it to, which is on the front of the motor, NOT IN THE DIZZY....so it'll fire at tdc, unles you can't install a crank pulley...#1 can start at any point on the dist cap...cause the dizzy on the 81t has nothing to do with determining spark....so if you install the pump the the rotor happens to be pointing at 3 oclock at tdc....that's fine cause it doesn't matter witht he way spark is determineon on an 81 turbo....

snwbrderphat540

well the 81 uses a different cas setup, so i get it, but it really wont work.

bama16

last response to this thread...i'm done...you aren't understanding what i'm sayin and this is goin no where.

n00blar

Thanks for all the replies, but wow...you guys end up confusing me more than helping me out.

It's alright, I'm going to read Haynes, again, and maybe look around some more and come back with some minor questions; I'm sure all the suggestions you guys give work, but kind of confusing when someone says something and someone else comes back and says the opposite, lol.

I think it's time that someone wrote step-by-step and make it a sticky!

snwbrderphat540

i did write a step by step, thats how i do mine, so its right, trust me!!!!

n00blar

Where is it posted?