Adjusting Timing w/o Gear or Computer

turn your distributor clockwise, it's a ghetto version of a timing gear but it'll do!

So my timing will be advanced but I just won't know how much?

Most people turn it 8mm CCW. Be sure to mark a line before you turn it in case you wish to return it to normal.

Additional info can be read here-> Here

Alright, those marks mentioned in the web-site are on my pulley. I suspected that they meant +2, -2 degrees. So, if I read the article right, I should line up my marker with the bottom notch to advance my timing?

Uh, oh... I spotted some contradicting instructions. "The one closer to you is another -2 from your factory setting" and then later, " Everyone seems to recommend 18 degrees BTDC so that would be the mark on the crankshaft pulley closer to you assuming your standing in front of the car." Egad, which is it?

Ok... so I set my timing so that the marker was lined up with the top notch, reset the ECU, and took it for a spin. It quickly became obvious that I had retarded the timing because my car was sluggish. I pulled it onto Admiral Wilson Blvd. (a 4 lane road with a speed limit of 40, although everyone agrees on 90) and floored it. Acceleration between 60-90 was unbearable... I never even made it to 90 although I had plenty of time to under normal circumstances. I got home, adjusted it so it was on the bottom notch, took it for a spin, and it was much peppier. Now I'm resetting the ECU. So, anyone who reads this post in the future, set it for the bottom notch to advance it. Thanks for the help anyway.

So, for us D series people, if we advance the timing, how far can we go on normal 87 octance, and how far on 92? How much additional benefit do we gain?

Should I just stay within factory specs, but advance as far as possible under those specs or should I push it a bit further? Recommendations?

What is the downside of advancing the timing?

Most people I know advance theirs all the way, and run 91~92 octane safley. Just to be safe I wouldnt advance it ALL the way, just most of the way

All the way? What's all the way?

This sounds like the Princess Bride - "He's just MOSTLY dead. Mostly dead, I can fix. ALL dead, the best you can do is search his pockets for change."

Do you mean the 2 deg + mark on the crankshaft?

he means turning the distributer cap all the way, away from the firewall. i would ALWAYS run the higher octane no matter how much i advanced it. downside to advancing timing would be pinging, but if you always use a higher octane than 89, you'll be cool. i wouldn't advance it ALL the way, cause your valve-train is important and everyone is happy when its in proper working order unless of course you have enough money to replace everything with much better aftermarket components.

Bumping it all the way would be a pretty big advance. Considering how little you move it to change it two degrees, I wonder how much you would get from bumping it all the way.

"1slowcivic" - Damn man, your car is beautiful. Mad props.

*blush* (grin ear to ear) Thank you very much, i appreciate that.

whats the negative effects of advancing a dx motor? i advanced mine about 7mm, and i feelt a big gain....

but i decided to put it back to normal and now my car seems alot slower than when it was advanced........

should i keep it stock or run advanced ghetto timing?
what signs og detonation can i look for or should i look for??

krillz said:

but i decided to put it back to normal and now my car seems alot slower than when it was advanced........

should i keep it stock or run advanced ghetto timing?
what signs og detonation can i look for or should i look for??

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If you're just playing with spark timing, unless you're pinging (and you'll hear that) you aren't going to hurt anything.

Pinging is a knocking sound from your engine. Basically, the fuel burns before the cylinder reaches TDC and is forced backwards. It can handle the force every once in a while (say once a week) but will kill an engine if its happening regularly. You should also feel the engine hesitate when this happens.

The decrease in performance perception is probably just psychological. You've gotten used to having more pull. Its always easier to notice performance downgrades than upgrades.

thanks!

I wouldn't say it's entirely psychological. When I was trying to figure out which way was advance and which was retard, I set the timing to retard first, and took it for a spin. Nothing was noticable until I hit the open road 60+ acceleration was crap... I gave up trying to get up to 80 after a decent amount of time of flooring it. When I got back home, I sent the timing the other way and the acceleration came back and was slightly improved over normal timing advances but it was definitely better than when it was retarded.

my title is noob...kinda sounds like boob.

Juggles said:

I wouldn't say it's entirely psychological. When I was trying to figure out which way was advance and which was retard, I set the timing to retard first, and took it for a spin. Nothing was noticable until I hit the open road 60+ acceleration was crap... I gave up trying to get up to 80 after a decent amount of time of flooring it. When I got back home, I sent the timing the other way and the acceleration came back and was slightly improved over normal timing advances but it was definitely better than when it was retarded.

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...but it was definitely better than when it was retarded. [/QUOTE]

I'm sorry, but that sounded funny. My car is retarded all the time even with the timing advanced!

I bought a modified distributor cap, and it was hard to dial in the timing this way. I spun it one way, and then the other, and it seemed as if there was no good setting. Then I said f*** it, and turned it all the way and took 'er for a spin. It felt pretty good, to my surprise. I may have to do some fine tuning , but it surprised me that I had to do that. Anyone else have this prob?

Modified how? Maybe your rotor has gone to hell and you just didn't notice the timing problem until you got the new cap?