Weekend CT Project -- Stuck Early

[Erakad]

Well, I guess I'm not the brightest bear in the woods. Have an early question to the CT upgrade....plenty of time, not planning on completing in a day (it's hot in OK, flies and skeeters are bitin', and dang it, I'm just plain slow!), anyway...doin this step by step and I'm aligning the Z-1 mark. I have a Euro version. When I look at the pully, I see 2 marks...np. But unlike the 101 Projects and Bently, my marks are about an inch apart (pictures seem much closer), question is, is the Z-1 the mark on the right, in between, or the mark an inch left? Also, should the rotor being facing out (to the back) or in (to the front of the car). Finally, I wasn't going to panic on the timing since I can read it from the tag on the engine...but the tag says 25 degrees BTDC...has been punched out and N/A scratched in above it. Anyone have any ideas? Swank....how is yours set?

Dumb questions I know, but I want to do this myself, am willing to take it slow, and sure do want to avoid the $5K new engine.

thanks for the advice..

signed...confused???

[emcon5]

I am guessing CT means chain tensioners.

There should be a small "Z1" stamped on the face of the pully. It may be hard to see, mine is only visable with a flashlight and a small mirror.

The rotor should be pointing to the #1 plug wire on the cap, so it should be pointing more or less towards you. There is a mark on the side of the distributer, I think.

Tom

[Early_S_Man]

If your distributor rotor is pointing to cylinder #1 then the four notches on the pulley are as follows, looking left to right ...

5° After TDC, Z1 or TDC, 30° Before TDC, 35° BTDC.

[Erakad]

Thanks guys...will go out and take a look....in the mean time I'm wrestling with the darn bolts on the muffler....ack! First one off...ahhhh this is a piece of cake....next two...$*$&^$(*&....will soak again, but I'm in the mood to cut them off!

[Jim Sims]

The muffler bolts are probably 50 cents each at a hardware store. It doesn't take much in my mind to justify cutting them off and replacing them. Dremel tool with abrasive cut-off disk works well. Jim

[Erakad]

Ahhh, he heavens opened up on the Z-1 mark. Yes, was on the pulley...as you said. Mine were about an inch apart since the original (European) timing was 25 deg BTDC (as the pulley shows). Yes, the nuts are history....need to get the right dremel attachment though...have every one except that..sigh. But as I said, I'm in no hurry. I tend to be very careful about following procedures exactly...a hold over from my clinical lab days!

Thanks,....standby, I'm sure I'll have more...............as the week progresses LOL.

signed, slightly less confused.

[Erakad]

As I get ready to go out and purchase some more parts and tools, a couple thoughts...I don't have a mark for 5 deg BTDC (I'm kinda assuming this is where the US will have it timed), but if I put it on a computer (like the ones the shops have...I have access) can it show electronically the mark...or is it still a mechanical thing. I know I can set it to the best setting by trial and error...hmmm, was wondering. Second an observatin that I'll fix anyway. When I removed the driver side heater hose (next to the cat converter) I notice the hose from the air pump was crimped. Does this affect performance or is it a sign and I should let it be?

[Doug Zielke]

Originally posted by Erakad
When I removed the driver side heater hose (next to the cat converter) I notice the hose from the air pump was crimped. Does this affect performance or is it a sign and I should let it be?

You have a '83 SC, right?
Then you don't have an air pump. I think you are confusing this with the cockpit air blower. The hose you mention feeds air to the heat exchanger on the drivers side.
The only "performance" it affects is cockpit heating.

[Early_S_Man]

Rob,

The wifey probably has some rather bright green, blue, pink, or red fingernail polish, right?

Take a machinist's rule and mark a spot on the pulley to the right of the Z1 mark ... equal in distance to the 5° STDC mark ... and you have your new timing mark!

[Erakad]

Excellent idea Warren I'll do that. For a 6 hour job, didn't get to far today. By the time I went out and bought the attchment to cut off the nuts (and return the broken one after I got home...grrr), I managed to get just the muffler off, the oil drained, and the engine on TDC. Lol, at this rate it will take me 18 hrs!

Doug...not the blower for the heater, I do believe it is an air pump. It's got a pully and fan belt with a rubber hose leading to the cat. May have some other smog reasons since it is a euro model and was housed in CA for some time. Nevertheless, I'm going to remove the kink and see what happens.

More adventures tomorrow, thanks again -