Setting the Timing

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YoYoTercel
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel 4x4 SR5

Setting the Timing

Post by YoYoTercel »

Just a quick question on setting my timing back to 5 degrees BTDC.

- I guess I need to mark the pulley and the timing marks with a white paint/ink?
- On the distributor side, which vacuum line do I pull out? I believe that are two lines.
- On the vacuum line that I pull out, it gets plugged with a "nail" or something thin - correct.
- Loosen the distributor screw/bolt and set up the timing light.
- 5 degrees is to the left of the mark "0" - correct?

Just wanted confirmation and any pointers before I do this. Thanks everyone.
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dlb
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My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: Setting the Timing

Post by dlb »

Yes, it helps to mark the pulley and timing marks with white paint. Just make sure you mark the right notch on the pulley. I remember messing this up once on a Honda Civic and scratching my head for a few minutes before I realized just what the hell was wrong.

Disconnect the distributor hose that connects to the ports on the top of the intake manifold, just in front of the carb. Plug the manifold port so it can't suck air.

I can't remember which way you turn the dizzy or which way the marks go but there are #s down on the lower timing cover so it as long as you can see them, it is obvious.
xirdneh
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My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
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Re: Setting the Timing

Post by xirdneh »

i have only seen one notch on the tercel pulley
you want to set timing to 10 degrees on left side of zero (when looking at front of car)
i pull both vac hoses and plug them. on some cars there are three hoses
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
YoYoTercel
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Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:29 pm
My tercel:: 1983 Tercel 4x4 SR5

Re: Setting the Timing

Post by YoYoTercel »

10 degrees and not 5 degrees? I'm trying to make sure I pass emissions in California. Can you confirm it's 5 or 10 degrees for factory?
xirdneh
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Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: Setting the Timing

Post by xirdneh »

Its probably 5 for emissions
10 for washingtonians
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
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dlb
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My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
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Re: Setting the Timing

Post by dlb »

xirdneh wrote: Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:01 am i have only seen one notch on the tercel pulley
I know, there is only one but I made a mistake and thought a gouge from a rock or something was the timing mark on a pulley one time. The actual timing mark was disguised by years of grime and dirt but it became obvious I had done something wrong once I put the timing light on it.
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: Setting the Timing

Post by Petros »

I sometimes have front pulleys that get beat up (mostly I suspect from driving without the splash pan, it allows rocks and gravel to get thrown up into the engine compartment), so often I have a number of marks and scratches easy to confuse with the timing mark on the front pulley.

you can verify TDC by pulling out the #1 spark plug and rotate the engine until you can see the piston top through the spark plug hole.

Once I verify the correct mark, I will make it bit deeper with a file, and make a matching one on the front most pulley lip (the inner one is often blocked by the front cover or grease and grime). than I will put red or white paint in both notches. I also like to paint the "0" and "10" timing marks with white paint on the front cover. this makes it much easier, even in poor lighting, to set the timing.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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