92 civic 4 door EX. 1.6L (1992-95 generation)

Arrahh!! Failed the smog cuz my timing was off. shoulda check the timing before the test.

I've always set the timing without jumping the service connectors in the past. it seemed to work.

Now that im reading how to do it the right way online and if im correct. heres how to do it..

someone correct me if im wrong.

1. get to operating temp. & idle
2. turn off car.
3. Jump svc connectors (same as cel retrive jumpers)
4. start up car.
5. adjust with timing light by loosening 3 bolts on distributor. and move distributor as needed.
6. line up pointer to center mark, ( the middle mark, in the group of 3)
7. turn off car. pull jumper.

good to go from here?

8. reset ecu by disconnecting neg terminal for a few min. (dunno if this is nessesary.)


whats weird is that at the 'test only' station. he jumped the service connectors and checked the timing. my rpm was like 1500 when he checked. i dont think thats procedure.. wtf..

fixing hondas for over 10yrs and you would think i know what the hell im doing. I'm off to try this timing thing again. hope i dont get pulled over cuz of my tags..

got 300k plus miles on my baby.
can someone hook me up with a smog?

 

This time don't do that jump that your talking about. Simply have the car running, wait for it to get to Normal Temp. Loosen the 3 Dist bolts and center to the middle marking.
Do you any mods to the engine?

 

You need to have it jumped if you move the distributor, so that it doesn't try to compensate for your changes. If you are just checking the timing, all that is required is the normal warm idle. 1500rpm is obviously too high, you need to get it under 1k, whatever is "normal" for your car once completely up to temp.

However, when I first set my timing, the idle was around 1,100 (EACV probs.) and so I disconnected it (again, EACV) and it first dropped real low, around 400, then back up to a steady 900 (just going off tach.) so I set it a bit more advanced than you normally would, just a guestimate. After cleaning the EACV and resetting things, the idle was normal, around 700rpm on the tach. I checked the timing then and it was perfect (red mark lines up with pointer and the v-groove).

It should start to advance itself, at least when the service connector is not jumped, as soon as you get the rpms up, even a little.

edit: and the first time I set it, I thought it was right or close to it, but it was actually pretty much all the way at max. retard. For some reason, in the bright sunlight w/ the timing light, the white TDC mark looked like it had a slight red tinge (prob. blending in with the correct red timing mark). Maybe that's why it had been set wrong to begin with. At night, it was very clear, and you could easily see the red mark.

 

thanks for all the responses.

I got NO MODS..

just did the timing. all went smooth.

the jumper does help. It keeps you from chasing the mark all over the place. Thats what i had to do before.

my smog results said that i was running 9 deg. tdc. and after adjusting i can see that i wasn't advanced enough. Car runs better too. more power on the low end rpms.

my HC reading on the smog test was 130. Max allowed is 130. and passed that part. But the timing killed me. I usually check the timing before i go but she was running smooth so i skipped it.
I guess we'll see how the timing settings will effect my borderline results.

got my free smog retest tomorrow. wish me luck..

 

thats something new for me!