Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hey everyone,

Needing some assistance.

I've got my hands on a second hand distributor which I have installed in my r31 skyline executive (1989) but, being new to this, I forgot to take note of the crank angle when I removed the original.

To get things working again my research leads me to understand that I need to somehow get the engine to top dead centre and align the rotor inside the distributor cap to the number 1 point. To try and get the engine to TDC I followed some advice from another forum post which suggested I try pushing the car whilst in drive to rotate the engine, but no rotation actually occurs. Is there a step I am missing? Is this because my car is an auto? What other options are there to get the engine to TDC with or without further disassembly?

To make things worse, the battery is now out of juice. Assuming that I can jump start the car or get a fresh battery, is there anything else that I need to do to get the car running?

Thanks,

Jon

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/351345-need-help-getting-rb30e-to-tdc/
Share on other sites

The distributor should only install one way, because it is aligned by an offset tag on the distributor drive shaft.

Completely wrong but even if you were right then how would the motor be in the correct crank angle?

This is how I do it, there's probably a better way out there but this works.

Take out cylinder 1 spark plug and stick a long screwdriver down there. Now rotate the crank by hand (with a socket/spanner on the end crank bolt) until the screwdriver goes up. Keep turning crank until it reaches the highest position then you know that piston 1 is at TDC.

BUT, it could be on the wrong stroke, intake instead of power stroke.

Install your dizzy anyway making sure the arm is pointing to number 1 on the cap. Start it up, if she runs fine then it was on the right stoke- the power stroke. If it doesnt that you have to rotate the crankshaft one moretime until the screwdrive goes down and then back up. You should be on the power stroke now.. Its easy to install the dizzy 1 tooth out. You might have to give it a few trys, just make sure it runs the same or better than it did before. From memory i think because the dizzy gear is not straight cut you have to turn the arm slightly before number 1 on the cap then once you slide it in it should force it to line up properly.

If you have any more trouble just ask me.

Edited by Smegul

Hey buddy, you should join the r31 forums. They have an absolutely ridiculous amount of info on every aspect of the r31.

This might help... if not, sign up and have a search / make a thread in the rb30 section.

http://wiki.r31skylineclub.com/index.php?title=Crank_Angle_Sensor

The only easy way to tell if it is at TDC for cylinder one, is to take off your rocker cover, turn the crank using a large breaker bar or ratchet on the front of the crank, and when both your rockers are in the overlap stage (exhaust just closing and intake just opening) then you are at top dead centre

remember - 4 stroke engine goes - intake, compression, combustion, exhaust. So your looking for it just finishing the last stage and starting the first stage.... that is the intake valvle beginning to open and the exhaust valve finishing closing....

The two stages will overlap slightlighty, this is called scavanging

The distributor will install two ways, one is at the point I described, and the other is 180 degrees out when cylinder one is at top between the compression and combustion stroke (both valves closed, spark plug firing)

The rocker arms are the easiest way to tell where top dead centre is,

Edited by 89CAL

The only easy way to tell if it is at TDC for cylinder one, is to take off your rocker cover, turn the crank using a large breaker bar or ratchet on the front of the crank, and when both your rockers are in the overlap stage (exhaust just closing and intake just opening) then you are at top dead centre

remember - 4 stroke engine goes - intake, compression, combustion, exhaust. So your looking for it just finishing the last stage and starting the first stage.... that is the intake valvle beginning to open and the exhaust valve finishing closing....

Ummm no sorry completely wrong aswell. Generally TDC refers to TDC of the compression stroke, i.e the fuel and air are compressed ready to ignite. So both valves would be closed just waiting for the spark to come. Thats why the dizzy arm is pointing to number 1 spark lead.

The only easy way to tell if it is at TDC for cylinder one, is to take off your rocker cover, turn the crank using a large breaker bar or ratchet on the front of the crank, and when both your rockers are in the overlap stage (exhaust just closing and intake just opening) then you are at top dead centre....................

Almost right, firing on No1 (TDC) look at No 6 changing over inlet/exhaust.

As has already been posted, easiest way, without removing the rocker cover is to set her up at TDC on the balancer, aim the rotor at No1 and have a try.

She'll either go or be 180 out and do a big boot back.

If she boots back, set her at TDC again then pull the distributor and aim the rotor at No 6.

Once she's away, timing light for final adjustment.

Almost right, firing on No1 (TDC) look at No 6 changing over inlet/exhaust.

As has already been posted, easiest way, without removing the rocker cover is to set her up at TDC on the balancer, aim the rotor at No1 and have a try.

She'll either go or be 180 out and do a big boot back.

If she boots back, set her at TDC again then pull the distributor and aim the rotor at No 6.

Once she's away, timing light for final adjustment.

Sorry I was half asleep lol....... Thats the way I was trying to say, small stuff up on my behalf sorrry about that :)

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • Does that German restaurant still exist in the old place out the NW end of Goulburn? When I say "out the NW end of"...I am really being vague. It was 1997 when I was last there, and the only point of reference I can recall is that it was on the opposite side of the main drag from the big merino. And when I say "opposite side of the main drag", I don't mean "on the main drag". It was either a couple of streets back from there, or might have even been out in the sticks a bit further. Was an old farm building or mill or somesuch. And when I say "the big merino" I might actually be thinking of a completely different part of town, because I just looked on maps and the big bugger is not where I remembered him to be! The food was good, consisting largely of various German mystery-meat sausage/loaf things and kartofflen.
    • So while the second sentence is completely correct and the whole point of the conversation, the first sentence bears consideration. If this bloke is just hoping to throw big turbos on and drive it around, because there are no helpful facilities at all in his tropical paradise** then he likely has zero chance of even knowing what the TP is on the last column in the stock maps, let alone know whether the ECU is operating anywhere near it or past it. So the point is very very moot. And, per what I said before, at stock boost on those turbos, you may well be off the end of the map. **I'm just back from Vanuatu, so I know exactly what small Pacific nations can be like wrt paradise without requisite facilities. But it's not even that simple. I put a high flow on my car and had to drive it around with a proper tune because of the lack of opportunity*** to put the bigger AFM and injectors into it to allow it to be tuned. I had to turn the boost down to less than I had before, and back off the boost controller's ramp, because it was exploring parts of the map that it didn't drive in before, and really couldn't access for tuning on the dyno either, and so was pinging. It was still well within the last column, because when I first**** set up the Nistune on the Neo I rescaled all axes of the maps to give some more space to explore. ***Family dyno was broken ****This was 13 years ago, and the TIM thing wasn't a thing then and so TP would definitely grow when pushing past the stock tune's limits.
    • Yep, this bit another local owner. I caught it before putting the transmission back into the car, what I noticed was the pressure plate fingers weren't flat and even. It's more obvious with the pull style clutch because the throwout bearing ring was visibly not flat once everything is put together. Nismo should really update their instructions to call out this specific detail. I'm not even sure the clutch as-shipped orients everything properly.
    • It ended up being that orientation of the float hub in relation to the clutch disk, when I installed it, I heard a loud click and being stupid, I decided to not take it a part and check it. The hub didn't properly align with the clutch disk and was causing the issue. Definitely an odd one! Dahtone Racing was able to fix me right up, stand up blokes!      
    • Right, but I'm saying on the stock ECU measured airmass from the MAF is no higher than stock. So it's accounting for the higher flow rate iso-manifold pressure. You just have to keep turning down the boost until you're within the stock tune's load scale. If you run off the end there's no telling what will happen. This does mean there's zero benefit to the turbos you're running vs stock, if anything it's just a straight downgrade because the transient response is worse, you don't even get the ECU's boost solenoid helping to pull the wastegate closed during initial spool, and peak power is only whatever the factory map can give you before you hit the R&R corner. On a -9 I would bet that you would have to change out the wastegate spring once you have a real ECU and you're tuning it for real. I'm not saying this is a remotely ideal state of affairs, it's just a way to keep it driveable until you can get a proper tune done.
×
×
  • Create New...