So I made a 20 mile drive about a week ago, checked oil, radiator fluid because my radiators got a bit of a leak jumped in my car and started driving,by the time I got there my car was steaming so I parked popped my hood and realized I didn't put my radiator cap back on after I checked the level at home. now I know I screwed up you don't have to tell me that, it hadn't been leaking any oil before this, but now there was oil under my engine. once my car cooled I put some more radiator fluid in it and tried to start it... Nothing. Engine cranking but no compression to fire it. Got it towed home. 10 hours later started my car sounded fine. No tell tale signs of a blown head gasket of gunk under the oil cap my timing belt is way off I know I need that tuned so it runs kinda poorly, and the oil only occaisionaly shows up after a 20 minute drive through town. I've put a good amount of time into this car so please don't tell me to scrap it. 261,xxx miles

Timing belt is off or timing is off? 

Timing is off. Is the timing belt inside the engine or is it the surpentine belt that controls engine timing?

How is it you know the timing is off? If you tested it with a timing light, then adjust it. Not sure about your engine, but the EA82 you simply adjust the distributor.

According to WIKI, your engine is an EA82. You can tell for sure if you walk up to the engine from directly in the front look down at the top of the block, in it will be molded EA82. This is the same engine as my 93 Loyale basically. There were pushrod variations and carbed variations though.

 

In general, the timing is adjusted by loostening the bolt on the distributor and retarding or advancing the timing while a strobe light is connected to number one cylinder and flashes each time that piston fires while an access cover to the flywheel is off and the green firewall connectors are connected. The strobe "freezes" the scale molded on the flywheel so it appears that a number on the scale -20 to +20 is under the "pointer" molded into the bell housing. You do this while the distributor shaft bolt is loosened just enough so you can turn the entire distributor assembly while wathcing the "scale" move relative to the pointer until the desired timing number it reached. What is the desired timing number? It should be on a Vehicle Emissions Control Information (VECI) label underneath your hood.

 

There is more to it than just loosening the disty and turning it though. Do yourself a favor and run down to your local auto store and ask for either Haynes or chilton manual on your car. It will be the best $26 bucks you will EVER spend. All is revealed for twenty six dollars (pictures too)! 

 

Seriously, I could write it up on how to do it, but I don't know all the variations for model years etc. For example, I suspect you have a carb, mine uses an injector. 

 

This is the exact Haynes book I have and it appear it covers your model too:

 

 

If you are super duper broke, most public libraries have them for checkout for FREE.

Edited July 30, 201312 yr by MR_Loyale

Oh and on the EA82 there are two timing belts that are hidden behind plastic covers. So if you are looking down and seeing a belt on your engine, it most likely is not a timing belt. On my EA82 there are two drive belts that drive the power steering, water pump, AC and alternator but the timing belts are under a black plastic cover behind the crank shaft pulley.  

 

Here is a pic of one removed from the car. Note the black plastic covers:

 

 

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure the timing is because the ignition coil is new and every now and a again it takes a few turns of the key to start. And seeing that the serpentine is nearly torn i have my suspicions about the rest of the cars belts.