stefhahn wrote:- before putting on the belt loosen the tensioner as much as possible - every mm counts!
means: loosen the bolt that holds the tensioner and push it as much as possible to the passenger side (I did use a big metal fork for this) and fix it in this position.
ciao,
Stefan
Ok I finally got a chance to go over to my friend's place who has a timing light today. We timed it to 10 btdc. It was way off (fast I think) due to the dist being loose when I got it.. We didn't have a dwell meter to check that. It idles better now and I think I have the vacuum lines under control....the thing is.. now it has no low end power! Or is that normal for these cars? it deffinately had much more low end pull before!! The last two times I have started it it has kinda popped or slight backfire and tried to die when I give it gas in neutral, once it warms up it doesn't seem to happen... I am guessing these cars are made to make power in the higher revs... I am notracing it, but I do like to get good performance. Am I on the right track here??
The procedure for checking the dwell,... jumping the wire and such.. is that really necessary??? I tried to measure the gap of the points today but I couldn't get it to stop when the points were open......
any hints there?
Thanks
Clark
1978 Spyder 1800 make that 2L! Finally making real progress!
Clark, you can turn the engine over by hand with a ratchet and a 7/8" socket. Put the socket on the alternator pulley nut and with one hand push down a little on the belt while racheting the pulley. That will turn your engine over in small increments.
This is the technique I used when I checked my valve clearances and it works very well. Don't thank me, this is another tip I got from Ventura Ace when I was doing my car at his place.
Also, 10 btdc is a starting point when timing your engine. Brad Artigue has a good timing tip section on his website. He does what I do, set it to factory specs and check it (you say you lost bottom end power) you can advance it a bit and see if it performs better. Turn the dist. a little each way from 10 btdc, till you get about the best idling, and lock it in and test drive it. 10 btdc is spec for a new engine, as these get older that is subject to change for optimum performance for each individual car.
Good luck.
Ron
Ron Luxmore rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
your car should have decent low end power without popping or hesitating. Have you checked the cam timing? it sounds like the cams are a tooth off. 10b is a good setting for ign timing. If you have to advance it more than that to get it run, you're masking another problem
Well today I had a bit of trouble starting it, and it really popped during deceleration. In the meantime I worked on the fan. I tested the switch and I do need a new switch. But I did rewire it. The PO had wired it up to, of all things, the ignition coil. So I hooked up the origional non switched 12V wire and ran some 10 Ga up to near the starter switch, and hooked up a ground toggle, that'll have to do for now. It did cure, as I suspected it would the heating up of the big wiring connection in back of the ignition switch. Then I decided to play around with the timing, I found that it ran the best just ahead of the 10 BTDC I had timed it to on Friday. Apparently it had popped off one of my vacuum caps so I replaced it and used a bit of adhesive. Problem solved! It ran better than ever!
I am sooooo thankful for this forum!!
Thanks so much!!
Clark
1978 Spyder 1800 make that 2L! Finally making real progress!
Really glad to hear that it's running well for you! You have it looking pretty good too, it looks like it's sitting there saying "Hey! Take me out for a ride."
Ron
Ron Luxmore rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
rlux4 wrote:Really glad to hear that it's running well for you! You have it looking pretty good too, it looks like it's sitting there saying "Hey! Take me out for a ride."
Ron
I think it is screaming "TAKE ME FOR A RIDE!" I have read and re-read almost every post on this site in the past 6 months waiting for my car to finally get here! Damn DAS shipping is taking far too long!
Well here's what 3.5 hours a detail brush and a bottle of Purple Power will do !! It's not really thaaat evident in the pics but it made a world of difference!! I hate a nast engine bay!!
Before
after!
Now for the undercarraige!! EEeeEeEeEEeeeee!
1978 Spyder 1800 make that 2L! Finally making real progress!
Well I spent today sweating profusely. It was pretty darn humid... Today was the day I had been looking forward to, the day I tackled the timing belt job! I left it at a friends garage because I didn't quite get done. So far so good! Everything seems pretty straight forward. I got all the old heater & choke hoses off as well and replaced them. I removed the old A/C evaporator or whatever you call it. More dead weight gone! I got the belt replaced and followed all instructions rotated it several times clockwise etc.. I just have to go back tomorrow and finish putting the new radiator hoses on and reinstall the radiator, and fill the system. I just hope I have done everything correctly and it fires up!! I had one glitch today... I have a bad habit of not DCing the battery and somehow my socket lept off the cowl and under the intake manifold, landing perfectly onto the starter solenoid BZZZT.... I ran back cursing and DC the battery...so what damage might I have caused??????? All in all a good day!
Thank goodness for this forum!!
Thanks all for advice!!
Clark
1978 Spyder 1800 make that 2L! Finally making real progress!
I ran back cursing and DC the battery...so what damage might I have caused??????? All in all a good day!