Timing?
 

Is there any way to time your car? Mine seems mis-timed. It could be the holes in the exhaust but after I change that if it sounds the same I want to re-time it. Just wondering.

There's really no way for the car to slip time but if you want to check it just for grins here's the procedure I've gotten go at the last couple weeks.

1)Bring the e-shaft pulley around with a large socket. It's best to turn the e-shaft with the leading plugs removed and turning the alternator nut. This prevents the bolt in the end of the e-shaft from loosening or tightening. The alternator is more accessible too.
2)Line up the yellow mark on the pulley (second mark from the left with the marks at the top of the pulley) with the timing indicator on the top right side of the pulley.
3)Remove the retainer nut of the CAS and pull it out.
4)Remove the two screw in the top cover of the CAS.
5)Align the small dimple on the gear (not the roll pin) with the tab/mark on the CAS body. Get a reference of where the shaft is at the top of the CAS so that when you insert it and can't see the marks at the bottom you can still hold it where it needs to be.
6)Drop it in and double check the alignment at top.
7)Put the cover back on.
8)Start the car and warm it up.
9)Use a timing light connected to the L1 wire. Shoot the pulley and note the mark on the pulley. The yellow mark should align with the pointer at idle. Turn the CAS until it does.
10)Tighten the retainer nut.

Chris

That looks like alot of work so I am going to take a good look at it when I get home from work. Thanks alot though man.

ludi-CHRIS,

To check timing, only step 9 of the previous post is necessary. The rest of the steps are only needed if you cannot bring the timing into spec. within the adjustment range of the CAS. Oh yes, this check should be done at 750 rpm idle. Have a good day!

Irv, Keith's dad :cool:

Thanks.

How about another view on this? If you have not ever set your timing, I'd suggest that you pull the cas and follow C. Ludwig notes. There is no doubt that step 10 is all thats required, but I've noticed more than a few gentle people on this site, have installed the cas per the manual or Haynes manual, and wondered why their timing does not seem right when they start the car. Its usually due to not realizing that the shaft on the cas just ain't gonna stay aligned when you install it and that that procedure us just for initally getting in the ballpark(Yankee Stadium of course). The part about removing the top cover plate and viewing the gear relationship to the body as you install really helps. The manual should have included that step. By the way, there is a Factory Service Manual that is on line and FREEEEE at the http://www.fc3s.org/ site or the http://www.iluvmyrx7.com download that and your home free. Good graphics. Easy to read, but is flawed in that it does not have tips such as the removal of the top cover on the cas during initial installation of the cas and timing. I've done it more often than not without the cover removed and had minimal problems, but even those could have been avoided. There. That should gey you bumped to the top.

What about grounding the initial set connnector? Grounding that single green pin by the leading coil. What does that do? The hayes and fsm says to do it.

James

Wankel 7, I think jumpering the initial set coupler is to deactivate items contorled by the ECU that effect idle. You do that to keep the rpm at idle and not jumping around. Just like you do when you initialy set you idle on the car. Just my guess. Book does not explain how the ecu works, so I'll be content to guess away.

what tab/mark on the CAS housing is he talking about? i just finished rebuilding my engine, and ive got spark, fuel and air, so i think the timing is way out of whack. would an incorrect timing not allow the car to start? so, basically, i just wanted to know what he meant by that tab/mark thing so i can set my timing...

Hey broken7 that's exactly what I had when I installed my engine. The timing WAS way out of whack and was the only reason it didn't start. Go ahead and run through the steps for timing and you should be able to get things going.

ok, that sounds really encouraging... but what exactly am i supposed to line up that little dimple w/? thats all i need to know now! :)

You should absolutely ground the Inintial Set Connector. In my understanding, it prevents the ECU from compensationg for any changes made during the grounded period. This is kindof important when adjusting the idle or timing, otherwise the computer will be fighting you while making the adjustments.