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Engine timing
Paul TigerB6 - 11/4/08 at 10:25 AM

Hi all

I'm struggling to get the Pinto engine started here. The battery - Odyssey PC545 is struggling to turn the engine over even with the start n charge connected up. From memory this suggest the timing is out but which way?? Too much advanced or retarded??

I did get it going briefly last night but it was dying within seconds each time. I have fuel and sparks to all 4 cylinders.

For reference - Pinto with megajolt but just running EDIS at present. Obviously cant hook up the timing light till its running.

clairetoo - 11/4/08 at 10:31 AM

If you pull the plugs out it should spin over fast enough to get good sparks off the Edis - which will allow you to check the timing .

Paul TigerB6 - 11/4/08 at 10:53 AM

Argh!! Dopey sod of the week award to me - having looked at the Autosport site again and checked direction of rotation i have got the trigger wheel bolted on 180deg out!!! I figure that means its trying to run on 2 cylinders!!

Guess i will have to take it off and out it on the correct way around!! At least i have welding and powdercoating facilities here at home!!

David Jenkins - 11/4/08 at 11:03 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Paul TigerB6
Argh!! Dopey sod of the week award to me - having looked at the Autosport site again and checked direction of rotation i have got the trigger wheel bolted on 180deg out!!!


You are not the first - and I am sure that you won't be the last!

(I mis-counted the teeth on my first install - there's now a really good animated drawing on the autosport website that sort-of makes it clear)

caber - 11/4/08 at 11:19 AM

Easier to re-locate your pick up?

Caber

Paul TigerB6 - 11/4/08 at 11:21 AM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
You are not the first - and I am sure that you won't be the last!

(I mis-counted the teeth on my first install - there's now a really good animated drawing on the autosport website that sort-of makes it clear)


Yup - found the illustration and still got it wrong!! Thought it rotated the opposite direction i guess (or was just on a stupid day!! Got the shocks out now but have to lift the engine slightly to get a puller on the crank pulley as there is a central chassis brace!! Still - had to raise the engine ever so slightly on one side anyway with a 2mm spacer under th engine mount so hope to have the pulley off within the hour. Marked the pulley now for TDC and the sensor in its central point of adjustment so shouldnt be too big a job to redrill and fresh powder coat the trigger wheel

Paul TigerB6 - 11/4/08 at 11:42 AM

quote:
Originally posted by caber
Easier to re-locate your pick up?

Caber


Not really - it would need to be 180 degrees from where it is now and i have a proper bracket bought / welded up. The easiest way to do it would have been to ignore the markings on the coil pack and reordered the plug leads but thats cheating / confusing for the owner / any future owners!! Thought it was strange when i had to swap leads 1 and 2 to get it to fire in any way.

Not too far off lifting the engine now. Only need about an inch up and across so dont need to disconnect the cooling

Paul TigerB6 - 11/4/08 at 12:42 PM

Well that wasnt too bad a job. Redrilled the trigger wheel now so its spot on and should be 10deg BTDC with the sensor in its centre adjustment as at present. Just waiting for the powder coat to cure while i have a coffee, then can reassemble it all and hopefully will have blast off this afternoon!!

mcerd1 - 11/4/08 at 01:04 PM

at least its an easy fix

I recon I'll get it wrong first time too...

so I've designed my new crank pulley so the trigger wheel will fit both ways round

I know I shouldn't have to, but its so easy to get these things wrong - especialy when you over think it


[Edited on 11/4/08 by mcerd1]

Paul TigerB6 - 11/4/08 at 04:45 PM

Well we have success!! Started absolutely no problem once it was all back together so am a happy camper now (and have earned my few pints tonight!!). Only one slight coolant leak and that was after switching off and the fan had cut in which was sorted by tightening the jubilee clip, so all in all made up!!

As for the MJ setup,Just a slight tweek to the timing as it was a couple of degrees out to start with but soon sorted with the adjustable bracket for the VR sensor. Just have to drain the cooling system a couple of times i guess to get all the crap out and then i'll see if i can hook my laptop up to the MegaJolt over the weekend.

MikeRJ - 11/4/08 at 04:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Paul TigerB6The easiest way to do it would have been to ignore the markings on the coil pack and reordered the plug leads but thats cheating / confusing for the owner / any future owners!!


Or you could have swapped over the two low tension wires and kept the coil markings correct I don't like bodging things, but I'd have been sorely tempted to do it this way.

Paul TigerB6 - 11/4/08 at 04:59 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ

Or you could have swapped over the two low tension wires and kept the coil markings correct I don't like bodging things, but I'd have been sorely tempted to do it this way.


Blinkin 'eck!! Being 180 degrees out that would have worked perfectly wouldnt it and save me all the hastle of rotating the trigger wheel!!!

Oh well - its done now and as its not my car i'm happy to have done it properly in the end. Martin the owner seemed pretty pleased on the other end of the phone listening to his car roar for the first time so makes it worthwhile.

MikeRJ - 11/4/08 at 05:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Paul TigerB6

Blinkin 'eck!! Being 180 degrees out that would have worked perfectly wouldnt it and save me all the hastle of rotating the trigger wheel!!!

Oh well - its done now and as its not my car i'm happy to have done it properly in the end.


Sorry I didn't post earlier Like you say though, nothing like the satisfaction of a job done properly

Paul TigerB6 - 11/4/08 at 05:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ

Sorry I didn't post earlier Like you say though, nothing like the satisfaction of a job done properly



Not a problem Mike - as you say there is a certain satisfaction in doing it right. It also makes any future fault finding so much easier if its "to the book" - not that there will be an issue i'm sure