How to check timing?
- Thread starter pbarton14
- Start date
Installshield 2
Gothenburg Superiority
what timing are you talking about? The cam timing, or ignition timing?
ignition timing requires a timing light, and either some jumper wires or the dealership computer thing that is ridiculously over-priced...
cam timing...the block has a mark on it at 12 o'clock position of the crank sprocket, which is behind the crank pulley...you line up the crank sprocket's woodruff key to that mark for TDC of cylinder number 1 and cylinder 4...on the cam gears...TDC of the compression stroke is designated with two marks on the cam gears...the intake mark will be at 3 o'clock, the exhaust mark at 7 o'clock (they point at each other)...if all 3 of these things line up, the engine is properly at TDC of the compression stroke for cylinder 1...
to get the crank pulley off without moving the engine...hit it with an impact wrench and a 21mm socket...it'll spin it right out without moving the engine very much...and you can readjust the timing by threading the bolt back into the crank and just using a normal ratchet...the other option, if you are using the stock crank pulley...is to fabricate or by a small 'y' wrench, that threads two bolts into the threaded holes on the pulley's face...you can then keep leverage on the pulley from turning with that, and break the crank bolt loose with a breaker...
last option...that usually doesn't work and will just result in some swearing...is to have a friend take an old drive belt and literally try and 'hang' from the pulley, while you break it lose with a breaker...
the super ghetto option (not sure why i'm even listing it)...is to wedge a breaker or wrench on the bolt and against the frame...then bump the starter haha...please don't do that...
the only time i did it without air tools was lucking out with a friends garage...who had a small pit to stand in under the car...i simply left the car on the ground and used a breaker on the bolt...with the car in gear, it loads up the drivetrain...and with the rear wheels blocked and the ebrake on...it simply had no where to move...and popped loose easily...that won't work at all if you have the front lifted to access that bolt, though...
ignition timing requires a timing light, and either some jumper wires or the dealership computer thing that is ridiculously over-priced...
cam timing...the block has a mark on it at 12 o'clock position of the crank sprocket, which is behind the crank pulley...you line up the crank sprocket's woodruff key to that mark for TDC of cylinder number 1 and cylinder 4...on the cam gears...TDC of the compression stroke is designated with two marks on the cam gears...the intake mark will be at 3 o'clock, the exhaust mark at 7 o'clock (they point at each other)...if all 3 of these things line up, the engine is properly at TDC of the compression stroke for cylinder 1...
to get the crank pulley off without moving the engine...hit it with an impact wrench and a 21mm socket...it'll spin it right out without moving the engine very much...and you can readjust the timing by threading the bolt back into the crank and just using a normal ratchet...the other option, if you are using the stock crank pulley...is to fabricate or by a small 'y' wrench, that threads two bolts into the threaded holes on the pulley's face...you can then keep leverage on the pulley from turning with that, and break the crank bolt loose with a breaker...
last option...that usually doesn't work and will just result in some swearing...is to have a friend take an old drive belt and literally try and 'hang' from the pulley, while you break it lose with a breaker...
the super ghetto option (not sure why i'm even listing it)...is to wedge a breaker or wrench on the bolt and against the frame...then bump the starter haha...please don't do that...
the only time i did it without air tools was lucking out with a friends garage...who had a small pit to stand in under the car...i simply left the car on the ground and used a breaker on the bolt...with the car in gear, it loads up the drivetrain...and with the rear wheels blocked and the ebrake on...it simply had no where to move...and popped loose easily...that won't work at all if you have the front lifted to access that bolt, though...
Last edited:
31N007
31N007
- :
- Mazda Protege5
is it bad that I did it that way? I took out the plugs and fuel pump fuse and did it like that. Easy as pie
but yeah, I wouldn't do it again, and dont plan on it!