Hey everyone, I have a little tuning problem. I was tuning my 84 323i and when I turned the distributer to ajust the timing it reached a certain point and then stopped, I had a look and found out that that was as far as it turned, but I need it to go further in order to tune my car properly. what can I do to fix this problem I can't have a car that doesn't run well. Please help. PS I was in Sydney the other day and I noticed a E28 340i? I didn't realise that BMW made 3 series that big or is it just a custom build. thanks Vincenzo
tuning problems
- Thread starter Vincenzo
- Start date
There must be something else going on. While I have not tuned this engine, I have tuned many others over the years and I've never need to manually advance the distributor even close to it's full range. I think something is throwing off the timing, your manual distributor advance is trying compensate.
Here are a few general things that I can think of that will throw off timing, not all may apply to your engine:
- vacuum advance - make sure you have followed the timing procedure exactly. Many times you must disconnect and/or plug vacuum lines, electrical connectors, etc.
- Loose/stretched timing chain
- timing belt slipped a tooth or loose tensioner
- Distributor removed and reinstalled incorrectly
- springs inside distributor stretched or broken
- cam sensor bad or installed incorrectly
Here are a few general things that I can think of that will throw off timing, not all may apply to your engine:
- vacuum advance - make sure you have followed the timing procedure exactly. Many times you must disconnect and/or plug vacuum lines, electrical connectors, etc.
- Loose/stretched timing chain
- timing belt slipped a tooth or loose tensioner
- Distributor removed and reinstalled incorrectly
- springs inside distributor stretched or broken
- cam sensor bad or installed incorrectly
Kirby gave you an excellent general list of things that can cause the problem you are experiencing. Your car doesn't have a cam sensor, so don't worry about that one.
How long have you had the car? Has the distributor been removed and replaced recently? The most likely cause of what's going on is that the distributor wasn't installed properly so that the distributor shaft is off a tooth or two.
How long have you had the car? Has the distributor been removed and replaced recently? The most likely cause of what's going on is that the distributor wasn't installed properly so that the distributor shaft is off a tooth or two.
the car was tuned fine when I bought it. then I replaced the timming belt and when re- tunning it bent a valve so I had to take the cylinder head off and get a new valve etc. now that I have tried tunning it again and am having this problem. the distributer has not been taken out sinse it was last tuned good. I will have a look at those things kirby mentioned, thanks fellas.
A friend told me that if I changed the spark plug leads, like put no.1 where no4 is and no.4 where no.2 is etc. That I would be able to tune it after changing them around. is this worth it?, would it work? or should I take out the distributer and move it along 1 tooth or should I take the move the cog at the timing belt.
I would fix it the right way. I guess moving the plug wires would work, but that will just lead to more confusion down the road. Assuming you do have the plug wires installed correctly now, and the distributor was never removed, you need to realign the timing belt.
The general procedure for aligning the timing belt is to turn the crankshaft until the #1 cylinder is at Top Dead Center (TDC), Now look at the cam shaft and valves. BOTH valves must be closed to ensure you are on the compression stroke. If a valve is open you are not on the compression stroke. You want to make sure that BOTH lobes of the cam for cyl. #1 are at the lowest position, allowing the valves to close completely. My guess is that you will need to turn the camshaft a bit. There also may be alignment marks on the cogs. In this case, make sure they are aligned. Now, the distributor should be lined up with the #1 spark plug wire terminal.
This is all covered in detail with pictures in a service manual.
The general procedure for aligning the timing belt is to turn the crankshaft until the #1 cylinder is at Top Dead Center (TDC), Now look at the cam shaft and valves. BOTH valves must be closed to ensure you are on the compression stroke. If a valve is open you are not on the compression stroke. You want to make sure that BOTH lobes of the cam for cyl. #1 are at the lowest position, allowing the valves to close completely. My guess is that you will need to turn the camshaft a bit. There also may be alignment marks on the cogs. In this case, make sure they are aligned. Now, the distributor should be lined up with the #1 spark plug wire terminal.
This is all covered in detail with pictures in a service manual.
to do what kirby says, i recommend either something like a pipewtench to turn the crank to find the right spot, or a friend in the drivers seat that will turn the car over for you ever so slightly. Disconnect the coil from the distributor first to avoid starting the engine.
On my 84 318i m10 4cyl l-jetronic system, there is a diagnostic plug... NOW i don't know what your car is like, but in that plug on my car you can jkumper two pins (forget which two) using a wire (USING A RESISTOR FOR SAFETY!!!) and turn the car over from there with the ignition off. (if you can't turn at the crank or have a friend to tap ignition to tap starter over) I suggest researching this last method carefully, if you are going to try it.
thats what i did when i had to when i had to time my car because the distributor was removed. i just removed the valve cover and watched until the #1 cylinder was twp dead center (botrh valves closed, rocker having least contact to to both valves)
Good luck
On my 84 318i m10 4cyl l-jetronic system, there is a diagnostic plug... NOW i don't know what your car is like, but in that plug on my car you can jkumper two pins (forget which two) using a wire (USING A RESISTOR FOR SAFETY!!!) and turn the car over from there with the ignition off. (if you can't turn at the crank or have a friend to tap ignition to tap starter over) I suggest researching this last method carefully, if you are going to try it.
thats what i did when i had to when i had to time my car because the distributor was removed. i just removed the valve cover and watched until the #1 cylinder was twp dead center (botrh valves closed, rocker having least contact to to both valves)
Good luck
The timing on the e30's is easy to fix. Take a day and just replace the timing belt and water pump. You have to remove the radiator and stuff, and its not 100% easy, but you can get it done in about 6 hours if it's your first time. It's dirty but it'll give you such a great peace of mind. Should cost a little over $100 after the belt, pump, gaskets, antifreeze, etc. assuming you have all the right tools (if you don't it could cost $250...I know the feeling).