ok i finally got my car running it tu rned out it was teh ecu that wasnt giving the crank angle power so it could spark.. so i changed out all this stuff for nothin. i have a 87 5speed base ecu in the 86 5speed base. im riding down the road and it pulls ok in first. but when it gets around 5,000 rpm in second third 4th and 5th it struggles and holds back. like my timing is off. i bought a light and started checking it. and when i line the yellow piece from the pulley to the little needle it still runs like ****. it sounds like a 400 ex four wheeler. it revs nasty sounding and slow also. what could this be guys. i really need all the help i can get. and which notch should be lined up with the crank angle notch??

 

How did you come to the conclusion that your timing is off?
I'd blame spark plugs, spark plug wires, fuel filter, TPS misadjusted first before blaming the CAS...



-Ted

 

With the timing lite on and looking at the marks, rev the engine over say 1100 rpm. You'll see the timing advance, then you can get on with the other things that might be going wrong and won't have that thought in the back of your mind.

 

I hate to ask the obvious question, but here goes; When you are setting/checking the timing you do have the jumper wire installed in the initial set coupler don't you?

This is a green female plug located near the front ignitor assy. It tells the ECU to go to base timing when it is shorted with a jumper. If you try to set the timing without the jumper in place you will be setting it retarded. This is because the ECU advances the timing from the "yellow" mark even at idle speed when the initial set coupler is normal (open). If you do not short the coupler out and set the timing to the yellow mark then you have essentially retarded what the ECU advanced as soon as the engine started.

Shorting the initial set coupler is electronically similar to disconnecting the vacuum advance on conventional distributor ignition piston engines. The vacuum on those engines serves to advance the timing as soon as the engine starts. The ECU does the same thing on a rotary. You have to override this to accurately set the timing.

 

which green female plug do i put the jumper in?? one or both. the small one or the larger one??

 

Thats interesting about the initial set coupler. I've been setting my timing for the last few years without doing that. The problem is I don't see that requirement in the manual. I'm not disagreeing all together, its just that I've never seen that in the book. Can't hurt. But where do you see the requirement?????? I've seen that remark a couple of times on this forum, and I'll go look at the book and not find it. Here's a couple of jpg out of the book. IT'll take a couple of repies to send them:

 

SECOND JPG:

 

Hmm, I had always thought that the initial set coupler was to stop the idle feedback loop (controlling the BAC) and to stop timing changes. Well just timed my car and its the same with the coupler in place or not. Also, timing still advances with the coupler in place?? I know the ECU is reading the coupler as the idle changed when I put it on/took it off.

Henrik
87TII

 

Trouble shooting help from Red Green:

If you hear:
"putta putta putta"
then:
your engines timing is off

If you hear:
"Not on the first date"
then:
YOUR timing is off.

As for setting the inital set coupler, I've never done that either, and I checked and it doesn't change a thing shorted or not.
Where's ted at?
Sean

 

I check my timing only at idle.&nbsp You guys gotta be nuts if you're trying to check timing other than idle. It doesn't matter if you use the initial set coupler or not, as long as the engine is totally warmed up and at the correct RPM for idle.




-Ted

 

The only reason I mentioned the initial set timer was because on my car the timing does indeed advance without it being shorted.

I agree that there is nothing in the manual that says you need to do this.

In any event, the initial set coupler is the green plastic wire connector located near the battery/front ignitor area. It will have two female terminals in it.

 

I don't think anyone is trying to set the timing above idle. I suggested reving the engine with the lite on the timing marks to verify that the ECU is indeed advancing when the engine is reved up, so he can forget about the idea that he has a timing problem and can get on with fixing the real cause of his problems.

 

HAhaha "Not on the first date" LOL didnt anyone else catch that one