am waitng for a new timinglight to come in the mail maybe today ! i have a new cap and rotor to insall also. my question is when im shining the light on the pully do i lock the dist when it reads 12degrees or zero degrees? i thought i read 12 is number. and jump out the same plug that the code checking takes place? i know it sounds silly but i want to be sure i got this motor timed correct. thanx for any replys.
Yes, you jump the "check engine connector" then set the timing to 12 deg. After the distributor is locked down at 12 deg, pull the jumper from the "check engine connector" and check the timing again. If your advance is working correctly the timing should have jumped to around 20 deg.
tim thanx so much for the responce! i did get the t light today and i,ll have a lil time tomorrow to do a cap n rotor n timing job. but more imporantantly is my head gasket test. yesterday i did a pressure test to 18 lbs and a slight leak at the heater hose. fixed that but still a low coolant level. no coolant in the oil and no leaks at the motor????? so i,m prepin for a motor swap or a head gasketr job. thanx so much for the help. i do count on you guys for any info and tips. the wife said i should think about getting a new van. my retort " ARE U CRAZY" i love these vans. ive been drivin these for close to 10 years now and people know me as that guy in that crazy van!!! they are a good advertisement tool. works good for me cuz i do heating repairs and carpentry and has the abilty to carry tools, lumber and anything i can fit in it!!
Is it necessary to use a tachometer when adjusting ignition timing? If so where can I get a tachometer that is made or can be used on 1987 Toyota Van Le? Any recommendation of brand model even a picture of how it looks like and where I can get one would be greatly appreciated. If it is not necessary to use a tachometer, is it okay to use a cheap $20 timing light from harbor freight to adjust ignition timing? I finally got my van to pass emissions, but the ignition timing is off. Need to get this thing to pass before next week due to a new job and only form of transportation. Thanks everyone ahead of time. Paul
It's a good idea to dial in the RPM before setting the timing. If the timing is really off RPMs will change when you dial it in. Sometimes you need to adjust timing & RPMs more than once to get it dialed in. It's not absolutely necessary to use an RPM gauge but it can be helpful. Most auto parts stores & perhaps even places like WalMart will sell inexpensive RPM meters for tuning an engine, so if you don't feel confident using your ear you could get one of those.
I don't think it matters how "cheap" your timing light is. As long as it works it should be accurate. Tim
Thanks Tim. I'm going to do this job tomorrow and hopefully pass smog. Paul
Finally bought a timing light! Now, when I jumper my check engine connector my idle drops, then I set my timing at 12 deg. When I remove the jumper my idle does not rise and timing stays at 12. I have a code 11 for TPS. Is a bad or improperly adjusted TPS likely the sole reason that timing does not jump to ~20?Originally Posted by timsrv
Yes. The electronic timing advance will not function if the TPS is bad or improperly adjusted. If you have a code 11 & no advance it's a pretty safe bet you need a TPS. Tim
The new TPS fixed the problem. Timing now jumps from 12 to 20 for the first time since I have owned the van.
I am working on timing the van and I borrowed an induction timing light which has 4 cables. The thing doesn't appear to want to go in timing mode and the only thing I can figure out is that I need to connect the 4th wire which says to connect to the "tach side of the coil". Is there even a way to do that on the van? (87 4ye)
There is a service connector between the distributor and the engine block for this type of use. It is held with a small bracket under one of the distributor cap screws and has a plastic cover snapped on over it.
You can see it clearly in this picture.
Ah great that was it. Thank you!
I am hearing this second hand, 89 Van was said to fail emissions because the ignition timing could not be checked due to the Idle being at 900 RPM's, that just does not sound correct to me. Sounds like bull anyone else agree?
The manual states that the timing must be checked at 850 rpm (it may say 800, not 100% sure...I don't have my manual on me). When the idle is higher, it will advance the timing slightly. I just went through this process on my van. At 900 rpm, I don't see a big problem with setting the timing. It doesn't advance all that much with a 100 rpm increase. It likely won't even register an increase.
For example: I just cleaned my intake and throttle body. Often times, that creates a higher idle at about 1000rpm until it's been driven a bit. That is what happened with me. I did my timing chain too, so I needed to set the timing. I set my timing just barely above the 12 BTDC mark. Maybe about 12.5-13 degrees, so that when my idle creeps back down to 800-850 there will be a tiny bit of retardation to push me to 12 BTDC. It may not make a difference, but I was trying to be exact.
Short answer: Bull! It's too close to regular idle to say that the timing can't be set.
Did your timing chain break or get real loose and rattling? These are beefy chains can't imagine one breaking
Since I was doing soooo much work to the van and had it torn apart, I thought I would do the timing chain for piece of mind. I had no idea if it was the original chain or not (250,000 miles), and I wanted the piece of mind to have a fresh chain for the next 100,000-250,000. It was a bit loose too...moving the crankshaft 12 degrees before the rotor would spin.
I don't think it was the original chain, BTW. But I'm happy with the result. Plus, my crank seal was leaking.
Confusing Instruction
Step 9b says 12 degrees BTDC
Step 10 says 20 degrees BTDC @ idle
My confusion is that in Step 9b when setting the timing at 12 deg BTDC isn't this being done at Idle?
Is the distinction the service wire? in other word with terminals T-E1 shorted set the timing at 12 deg BTDC and then set timing at 20 deg. BTDC with terminals not shorted?
You set the timing 12* BTDC at idle after you short the terminal out. Then when you remove the jumper wires and check the timing it should be at 20* BTDC at idle.
MOD EDIT — To clarify, the above applies to the 4Y-EC engines only; 3Y-EC engines are timed to 8° BTDC
Hi,
My 89 cargo van, 48k miles, began pinging. I borrowed a timing light to make the adjustment. Took a long time to clean the grime away to see the marks on the side of the engine. But, I could never see the mark on the pulley.
I could not fit my hand, much less a socket, to rotate the engine (I wanted to paint a mark on the pulley). I tried from both above and below. Actually, I couldn't even fit underneath to see the pulley.
What are the tricks I couldn't figure out?
Two side questions:
1) when I jumpered the computer bypass, I got a lean mixture error code. Could this be triggered by the timing being a little advanced? Other than air filter, what are common causes?
2) In the interim of timing adjustment, I switched from regular to mid-grade gas. Pinging went completely away. Do most of you use the low octane gas? Would summer blend gas be more likely to ping?
Thanks for any help.
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