Here is another about my timing belt. 91 tracer with the 1.9 motor. How am I sure that the cam gear is set to TDC on #1? Can it be 180 out when the marks are aligned? I plan to use a compression gauge on #1 to set the crank on TDC. Any ideas or info?
Technically speaking, the cam shaft doesn't have a TDC position. This term applies to the crankshaft when the #1 piston is all the way up and the valves are closed for that cylinder. The cam gear on your car has a pointer or arrow cast into the webbing of the face. This should be aligned with the mark on the head behind the gear. When the cam is in that position, both valves are closed for the #1 cylinder. If the crank and cam shafts are aligned accurately on their respective marks, there can't be any phase error (180-deg) between them. Unlike older cars with a mechanical distributor, the ignition system on your car fires the plugs on every revolution of the crank because it gets it's timing from the crank sensor not the cam shaft. The fuel injectors get their timing from the cam shaft sensor. It doesn't affect the engine performance to have the plugs firing on the top of the exhaust strokes in addition to the compression strokes. I've wondered if the plugs wear a little faster though.
Be sure to keep the belt taught on the forward (straight) side before releasing the tensioner. This will insure that the belt won't skip on either gear when the engine is started. It's best to crank the engine a few turns without starting it, so the belt can seat properly. You can do this on your Tracer by holding the gas pedal all the way to the floor before and while you turn the key. The car's ignition system is designed not to fire the plugs in this situation. It's a feature for clearing a flooded engine. Did you also change the water pump? This would be a good time to do it. I would also change the belt tensioner if it's never been done.
Holding the throttle wide open while cranking shuts down the fuel injectors and not the ignition system. The engine will start if any residual fuel is left in the intake or cylinders. Bob
Thanks for the correction. I don't know what I was thinking when I said the ignition system is turned off. :-)
Don'tcha hate when you do that?1?! Just the other day I was making dinner and told my daughter to get the pork roast out of the dishwasher. She looked at me like I had 2 heads and I was clueless as to why. I then repeated it!(I was thinking oven, of course). Too bad there's not a "feeling stupid" smiley.;)
Yup they would come in handy. I've had my share of "brain farts" over the years. I hate when that happens. Bob
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