Help me set my timing back to TDC! HELP!!

So I am working on replacing my head gasket and doing a mpfi swap at the same time.
I have a 91dx with d15b motor.
I had the head set at tdc but accidentally moved the crank after I had removed the head.

So with that said do I just set the crank to tdc on the marking there?
Then set the head and cam to tdc and install everything from there?
I want to make sure I do not F anything up when re assembling things and do not somehow set it to be 180 degrees off.

This is my first time doing something this detailed and would like things to run properly once I am done.
I downloaded a service manual but want to be sure what I am looking and and reading is correct info.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!!

Comments

  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    Just put #1 at TDC, line up the mark on the timing belt gear with the mark on the oil pump. Then set the cam gear with the word "UP" up and the 2 level lines even with the head deck.
  • spede18spede18 Wagonist
    Thanks Bam thats what i thought just wanted to be sure!
  • spede18spede18 Wagonist
    Is there a way to line up the crank pulley without taking off the cover or pulling the pulley?
    Looks like mine has a white dot on the top of it which lines up with a groove on the bottom cover is this an actual marking or something someone put on there?
    it seams to be pretty darn close to TDC from what I can tell but not 100% sure.
    I really don't want to take off the crank bolt if I don't have to.

    Put the head back on today and everything seams to be ok, I have only spun the motor by hand at moment so want to make sure before I start it and have issues.

    BTW I went to middle school in Marietta, Mcklesky was the name of the school.
  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    Yes, that white-marked groove on the inner lip of the pulley is the TDC mark.
  • spede18spede18 Wagonist
    Ok so I was messing with trying to set the timing again today.
    The white mark does not line up with the tooth coming off the lower timing belt cover.
    It is about 1" or so towards the exhaust side of the block. It lines up with the side of the grooves for the tensioner. I had a long piece of tubing inside the spark plug hole to make sure.
    I checked twice and same result.

    Any idea why it's not lined up with the tooth or is there another mark I'm suppose to line up with.
    The pulley is the one with the holes in it.

    Don't want to start it when the time comes and screw this up!
  • spede18 wrote:
    Is there a way to line up the crank pulley without taking off the cover or pulling the pulley?
    Looks like mine has a white dot on the top of it which lines up with a groove on the bottom cover is this an actual marking or something someone put on there?
    it seams to be pretty darn close to TDC from what I can tell but not 100% sure.
    I really don't want to take off the crank bolt if I don't have to.

    Put the head back on today and everything seams to be ok, I have only spun the motor by hand at moment so want to make sure before I start it and have issues.

    BTW I went to middle school in Marietta, Mcklesky was the name of the school.

    Try this and see if this will help.
  • klumklum Senior Wagonist
    try loosening the tensioner and cranking the cam left with the belt off and place the belt on with the teeth still held on the crankshaft then put it back on the cam gear and your going to see if your closer or further off from where you need to be.. then go ahead and readjust accordingly until you have that line up.
    its pretty easy and seems harder than it really is trust me once its timed right just crank the pully around acouple times so the tension is compensated.
    hope it helps
  • spede18spede18 Wagonist
    My problem isn't getting the cam set correctly its that the white dot on the pulley does not line up when the #1 piston is all the way up.

    If I line it up with the tooth on the lower cover the #1 piston is not all the way up yet.
    It's a bit off then if turn it a little more then it kinda clicks and I can feel it going nto place and the dot is about 1 inch towards the exhaust side of the tooth on the lower cover.

    From what I have seen in pics online the marks are a line mine is a white dot not sure if I am looking at the correct marking?
    Seams maybe not.
    I will take another look today when I get home and snap some pics to post up.
  • kylerwhokylerwho Wagonist
    make sure you are lining up the tdc marks on the crank pulley and not the ignition marks for when you run a timing light and time the distributor.
  • Let me know if you need help. I live in Vancouver maybe I can come help you if you need it.
  • spede18spede18 Wagonist
    Appreciate it, I live in NE Portland just over bridge from Vancouver.
    I got the crank set finally after sorting through things and thanks to everyone and google for pics I found the notches to line things up. Knew i had to be missing something, had to remove the alternator belt and there were the illusive marks. I had it very very close if not correct but now the line is matched up with the notch on the crank cover and I can finish up everything else to try and get the wagon to come to life again soon!

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  • firstwagofirstwago Band Wagon
    when i get a honda to tdc i find a piece of long skinny metal and i take the spark plug out and put the piece of metal in the hole till it touch the piston and i move the cam shaft till its a tdc its easy to tell when it is with the piece of metal in the its runnin easy and fast intead of tryin to mess with the marks
  • I know this is old, but I figured it may be helpful to somebody if I add my two cents.

    I Don't think anyone mentioned it specifically, and it's easy to miss in the pics, but there should be a total of FOUR marks on the crank pulley. ONE mark is all by itself, that's the TDC mark. It SHOULD be white, but usually the paint has been worn off or smudged with dirt/oil. About 16 degrees over, THREE marks are all huddled next to each other. These are the marks used for ignition timing. I believe they represent 14, 16, and 18 degrees Before TDC. The center mark is usually red, and I can't remember if the other two are white or unpainted.

    On all my cars, i usually can't see any color on any of the marks, so I always paint the TDC mark AND the three timing marks white so I can see them easily with a timing light. I'm sure other people do the same thing, and there's always the chance it's been done on your car. Just so you don't mix them up, make sure you always locate ALL of the marks and pick the right one.

    I am curious, you ever get it all back together and running?
  • spede18spede18 Wagonist
    I did take a look at my build thread still fighting with the timing.
    With everything set at tdc the timing is retarded by about 1/2" even with the dizzy fully advanced.
    I have it set 1 tooth forward and will be adjusting things 1 more time tomorrow to see if all goes well.
    If I have it retarded the motor wants to pop at times but drives ok.
    Seams to want to smoke for some reason when I had it set with the cam advanced so I'm trying 1 last time to see if I can get it with 1 tooth advanced and not have any smoking.
    It's the weirdest thing can't get it times with everything set the way it's suppose to be.
    B7 head and pretty sure cam gear and cam as well.
    Might need to get an adjustable cam gear for whatever reason.
    Fighting issues is no fun thats for sure!
  • I just posted in your other thread, and after reading this, I really think you should try a Y7/Y8 cam gear.
  • Also, before you go buy a cam gear, double check your MPFI conversion wiring. Specifically, make sure you didn't mix up the wires at B10 and B12

    The orange wire from C1 should be moved to B10
    The White wire from C2 should be moved to B12

    I have read that getting these backwards will cause your timing to be severely retarded.
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