rx7dreams

iTrader: (1)

Both my trailing and leading timing is at 5 degrees. Heres how I tested.
Shorted the initial set coupler.
Set timing light to 5 degrees. Put the timing light pick up on #1 Leading wire.
The pin and the yellow mark is aligned.
Set timing light to 20 degrees. Put the pick up on #1 Trailing wire.
The pin and the red mark is off. Adjusted to 20 degree mark.
Went back to check leading and it's off. Adjusted to 5 degrees.
Went back to trailing and its off. So I set the timing light at 5 degrees and it turns out that the tailing is also firing at 5 degrees. Both trailing and leading are at the 5 degree mark.

I've searched and found a couple people with the same problem. Both times, the suggestion was that their idle was above 1100. My idle is around 750 so that can't be the problem. The engine isn't running smoothly. This is having me worried. Any help would be appreciated.

HAILERS

Both lead and trail will read approx the same if the rpms are over 1000 rpm and/or the water temp is not up to working temperature.

Frankly I use a cheap, as in twenty buck light that does nothing but blink and that is good enough. This advancing the timing light leaves me cold. Can't you just leave it at zero and use it like a common, cheap timing light???

Yes, rpms being over the general figure of 750 rpm will screw you if your trying to set timing. Screw the Initial Set Coupler to boot. It just sets the BAC at a set duty cycle, nothing more.

corybluerotary

here is an easy way to set timing. take out the crank angle sensor and unscrew the two screws that hold the black top on. remove the top. now, look at the gear at the opposite end. there should be a little circle close to the housing on the gear itself. make sure when you put the angle sensor back in, that the dot is lined up with the line. to make sure its lined up when you put it back in, look inside where the black cap covers and note the position of the wings. dont put it in until you turn the pulley and the yellow mark is lined up with the timing marker. now put it back in and tighten it up. it should be timed perfect. if that doesnt work, take out a spark plug on the bottom and line up one of the tips of the rotor with the spark plug hole, take out the crank angle and do the same thing with the crank angle as mentioned above

rx7dreams

iTrader: (1)

I wasn't worried about the was I was checking the timing. I was worried that there was something wrong with my ignition system that causes the leading and trailing to fire at the same time.

If it is the way I'm checking the timing that causes an inaccurate reading, I'll try it the way you suggested.

HAILERS

There's two JPG attached showing the LEAD and TRAIL timing at different RPM's.

One is at a rpm just barely above 1100rpm and shows normal timing of -5 for Lead and minus 20 for Trail.

The other shows a rpm around 1300rpm. Notice how in that jpg the timing of the LEAD and TRAIL are almost alike??? Yes.

So, one POSSIBLE reason your seeing Lead and Trail timing the same, is that the rpms are too high, which in turn means the ECU's programm has advanced both lead and trial above their normal/correct timing of -5 Lead and -20 Trail.

And notice that the -5 and -20 are ATDC but once the rpms get to the 1300 rpm level that minus sign is missing......because the timing now is BTDC.

rx7dreams

iTrader: (1)

...but I'm idling at around 750 rpm. So it can't be that. I'm also checking the timing at normal operating temperature, so it's not the water temp either.

What else causes the ECU to set the leading and trailing to be the same?