Making No Power

[pauly24]

So I replaced my water pump, went to set base timing and was well over the 30 mark, possibly at 50 degrees. Turned out when I put the belt onto the exhaust camshaft, it was one tooth over.

So off comes the timing belt again, everything lined up correctly. Base timing was set to just little over 15, possibly 17 as it wouldnt retard any more. (idle may of been tad high as I had to go off rpm tacho in car)

anyways so take the car for a drive, and it was making 7psi but the car had no power, felt like it had no boost.

I think maybe because I ran the car so long at idle with 50 degrees base timing the ECU has pulled out so much timing that now when I run it theres no power, so i disconnecetd the ecu this morning and will try again tonight.

Im waiting on a wideband controller so i can check the AFR.

But since the car is making boost, the only thing I can think of is fuel or timing as to why it has no power at all.

Any other ideas?

[blind_elk]

Are you sure it's timed at 15? Some timing lights double the actual reading.

If it's idling at 7.5, then it's probably firing AFTER TDC on boost (ie the piston is already into the power stroke before the fuel/air mixture is ignited). And that is worse than useless for making power.

[pauly24]

If thats the case then I would have to set the timing to 30, but im pretty sure rotating the CAS completly wont take me that far.

I guess I can give it a shot though dont have anything to lose.

How am I suppose to know if the timing light is doubling the reading?

When I take the timming that far out 30+ it would miss at idle, so makes me think its a true reading.

[Moodles2]

Are you using the wire loop at the back of the engine for the timing light? Coil #1 gives better signal for cheaper timing lights

[pauly24]

its suppose to be a good timing light, borrowed it from a friends mechanic workshop.

Im using the wire that goes into the power transistor that sits at the far back top of the engine. There are 6 wires going into this power transistor, one of the wires has been pulled out of the 6 wire harness, just enough to attach the light too, this is what i used. Admittedly i didn't check if its cylinder #1, but if it wasn't it would be minimum 60 degrees out, which it isn't. But will double check.

If what blind elk said about the timing light showing double, my money is on that's the problem, will set it tonight to 30 degrees and see what happens.

Actually thinking about it, its the wasted spark firing system which would cause the light to show double (doing some research on the net confirms this)

Edited December 1, 2009 by pauly24