I wanted to adjust the timing on my 95 Camry with the 4 Cyl engine. I loosened the one distributor hold down bolt that was obviously visable but I could not turn the distributor.
Is there another hold down bolt below where I can't see it?
Is there only the one hold down bolt and I just need to use more muscle?
Is the timing adjustable on this car?
The car is running fine. I usually advance the timing on my cars till it pings then back it off a bit.
Please reply here in the NG, I don't check this e-mail address. thanks
Use a timing light , light pinging cant be heard but will damage a motor, you also run cilinders hotter the more you advance, unless you then pull the plugs you wont know if you need colder plugs. Try 1 degree from set point if you must, but factory specs are for milage, power and gas considerations.
There is a second bolt directly underneath the distributor. A 6 inch socket extension works fine. Removing the air cleaner assembly helps for access, and isn't too difficult...also gives access to fuel filter. I just replaced the distributor O-ring ($4.50) since it was leaking badly on my
Why do you want to adjust the timing? The computer takes care of it all. It's not like the old days when you had to adjust timing after replacing the points.
Wrong William the distributor must be set as on all cars with distributors, early cars with points used mechanical systems, as your timing belt stretches-gets old timing is retarded and you loose power. There is a timing indicator on the engine and a timing light must be used, read a manual.
Unfortunately the *base-idle* advance is adjusted by physically rotating the dizzy a la old style. The computer still adjusts the timing as manifold vacuum, revs change, but it know way of knowing what the reference or idle advance figure is.
I like the flywheel pickup design for electronic ignition,..less room for screw-ups there.
The knock-sensor is the wildcard here tho. You could have a base-idle adv figure too far advanced but still enjoy the protection the knock sensor provides ie if the engine pings or knocks due too much adv,..the computer rips off adv until the knocking stops. Not sure how accurate it does this tho,....Suffice to say, if you have access to fuel which falls within the normal range of octane variation,..then setting the base-idle adv correctly is the best policy.
If your fuel supply was grossly different in octane to normal,..some minor adjustment may produce results (talking a couple of degrees only here).
IMHO that would be a mistake. The electronic timing control and feedback circuits in your Camry are fairly sophisticated. I remember reading the factory repair manual about troubleshooting the igniter, and they described how the ECM checks for spark on each engine revolution, then adjusting for engine speed, temperature, and other parameters I've forgotten, establishes the advance saturation time for the igniter for the next engine revolution, and confirms when the spark has fired. The ignition timing is set with a jumper across two pins at the under hood diagnostic port to disable initial advance. The engine light on the dash will flash constantly when the pins are jumpered. Personally, I found it easier to work on the distributor with the air cleaner removed, and a shop light illuminating the area. The nice part about the Toyota engine management system you have, is that there's an air gap and an inductive pick up, so there should be very little mechanical wear. Nothing like ignition points with rubbing block wear that needs to be compensated periodically. If you replace the timing belt, the timing should be right at the factory setting. Again, my personal preference, I'd just make sure the timing belt is pre tensioned properly when you install it, and not worry about adjusting ignition timing to compensate for belt stretch, because you'll be setting it back every time you replace the belt. When I installed the timing belt, I exerted a lot of extra force on the tensioner pulley to pull out all possible slack and initial stretch, then let a new tensioning spring retain the correct tension when tightening it down. Since I also replaced both idlers, and the water pump, hopefully there's zero play in the bearings where the timing belt turns. (the two idlers were noisy when turned by hand) Wound up setting the ignition timing because I removed the distributor to change the distributor O-ring (hard and brittle, broke in pieces when removed, had been seeping slightly). Apart from that, I'm just glad timing rarely if ever requires adjustment. Was trying to avoid adjusting at all, but seems my marks weren't as precise as I would have liked, so it was a few degrees off. On the old 1967 VW bug, I used to use a cellophane cigarette wrapper to set ignition timing, or a static timing light (a bulb with two wires and alligator clips). There, perhaps you could make a better case for timing by ear - advancing until it pings and then backing off a bit. There was a mechanical advance with small weights and springs that could lose tension, but with the all electronic systems in the Camry, especially if it is running well, leave well enough alone.
OK thanks, I 'll look for that second bolt that the other poster mentioned.
Does this car (95 Camry 4 cyl) have a knock sensor? I didn't think that it did.
Yes I understand that the distributor must set the base timing info sent to the computer and the computer will adjust the retard/advance from there in a open loop manner based on the vacum and throttle pos sensor etc and pre set program. It can also adjust in a closed loop manner only if there is a knock sensor.
WHY? Is the car running OK? Generally on the newer Toys, you reaslly don't want to mess with the timing. The ECU will generally compensate for it. You may also need some special equip, like the right tach (notice, right tach. Some will blow the electronics!)
If you're trying to squeeze some performance/gas mileage out of it, don't. It ain't like the Goodle days when you jumpered a plug and had at with a timing light!
You can get a major performance boost by going back to specs on a old stretched belt. My factory belt stretched out 4 degrees in 50000m Putting it back in speck was a big power and milage booster. 8 cil engines were not so sensitive. So if your belt is old a 15$ timing light is a good investment
Absolutely,..it lives screwed into the rear of the block (firewall side) directly under No3 cyl inlet runner. Mines a '96 with 165,000ks (103,000 miles) and it will ping a couple of times (about 1/2 a sec duration) if I give insufficient throttle when letting the clutch up (effectively labouring the motor for sec). The knock sensor works quickly tho never allowing more than this split sec ping.
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