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EA82 Distributor timing


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1994 Subaru loyale 3AT 4WD. Replacing engine. Having a little problem with the distributor timing on my car. I just did the timing belt procedure; following the Miles Fox series of videos on youtube


Started with both cams with the dot facing up. I installed the inner timing belt first Rotated the crank. Installed outer timing belt. Rotated the crank a full 360 degrees, resetting the first cam to its original position. Then I rotated till the flexplate was at the 0 degree mark.(Is that right for SPFI cars???)


But now my rotor is not pointing where the #1 spark plug wire is on the cap. What did I do wrong?


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Just curious...when you say you reset the cam to its original position, then you rotate the flex plate to the zero degree position, is that the marks with TDC markings and numbers or three small lines? When you set your flywheel to the middle of the three small lines your driver cam dot should be up. Install belt. Rotate 360 degrees back to middle line. Install 2nd belt. Rotate 360 degrees back to middle line. Distributor positioned at spark plug #1. That is also if you didn't remove the distributor, but you did replace the engine. Did you transfer the distributor from old engine to new one?

 

The flywheel has two groups of markings.

 

1). Three lines for Distributor/Timing belt serve markings

2). Larger group of lines/numbers for setting the timing with a timing light.

 

 

Hope I can help you.

 

Will

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set #1 cylinder on tdc compression stroke. install inmer belt with dot facing strait up. rotate engine one turn. dot on first cam belt should now be pointing down. install outer timing belt with cam gear dot facing straight up. now engine should have inner belt cam gear down amd outer cam belt up. rotate engine a full turn. three hash marks on flywheel should be present and be centered. and inner cam belt facing up, outer cam belt facing down. if it is set at 0° you are way off, as that is for setting ignition timing with a timing light. these are not meant to be timed like modern engines that both timing marks align together, they will always be 180° opposite.

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Just curious...when you say you reset the cam to its original position, then you rotate the flex plate to the zero degree position, is that the marks with TDC markings and numbers or three small lines

 

The flywheel has two groups of markings.

 

1). Three lines for Distributor/Timing belt serve markings

2). Larger group of lines/numbers for setting the timing with a timing light.

 

 

 

Will

I did reset it to the 3 mark. Then rotated till it was at 0 on the timing light marks. This is how it's described on the Miles Fox videos on YouTube to set the distributor. Are you telling me I don't have to worry about the actual timing marks?The distributor had not been removed to my knowledge but this engine was pulled from someone's carport. So I was trying to act like the dizzy HAD been removed just in case. It looked to be pointing in between #1 & #3 on the cap. Not directly at 1. I'm going to try again today

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Are you telling me I don't have to worry about the actual timing marks?

 

Yepp. Focus entirely on the three small lines when you try it again. Like 87subbomber wrote:

 

set #1 cylinder on tdc compression stroke. install inmer belt with dot facing strait up. rotate engine one turn. dot on first cam belt should now be pointing down. install outer timing belt with cam gear dot facing straight up. now engine should have inner belt cam gear down amd outer cam belt up. rotate engine a full turn. three hash marks on flywheel should be present and be centered. and inner cam belt facing up, outer cam belt facing down. if it is set at 0° you are way off, as that is for setting ignition timing with a timing light. these are not meant to be timed like modern engines that both timing marks align together, they will always be 180° opposite.

 

Then double check your distributor position and your rotor should be close to spark plug #1 or really close. Timing the engine will bring it closer to #1.

 

If you need info for timing we can help with that too.

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"The flywheel has two groups of markings.

 

1). Three lines for Distributor/Timing belt serve markings

2). Larger group of lines/numbers for setting the timing with a timing light."

 

Well dang ! I set my cam gears /timing belt with the lined/numbers ........haven't been able to start it yet

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Well dang ! I set my cam gears /timing belt with the lined/numbers ........haven't been able to start it yet

 

If you used the "normal looking" timing marks, it will not run.  Those are only for using a light, after things are running, to do the fine adjustment.

 

The 3 line mark  | | |   is the only one for timing belt installation.  I don't know about the videos, there were no videos when I learned to install timing belts.

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I also followed the video like a dummy ,no mention of the three lines mark

 

Yeah! It's not done correctly in the video is what I'm gathering. I'm going to re time it tomorrow when it's not snowing hopefully.

 

 

The videos are just a series of videos on YouTube to help rebuild a EA82. Very useful for a first timer like myself.

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I also followed the video like a dummy ,no mention of the three lines mark

 

 

Yeah! It's not done correctly in the video is what I'm gathering. I'm going to re time it tomorrow when it's not snowing hopefully.

 

 

The videos are just a series of videos on YouTube to help rebuild a EA82. Very useful for a first timer like myself.

 

The Miles Fox video for the EA82 is correct, and it references the three marks in the very beginning. I'm not sure what video you watched, but this one is correct. 

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZG1p70E4VXc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Dan

Edited by BEECHBM69
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The Miles Fox video for the EA82 is correct, and it references the three marks in the very beginning. I'm not sure what video you watched, but this one is correct.

 

 

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZG1p70E4VXc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Dan

...the very next episode about Distributor timing.

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I think you have it right.  Notice that Miles' distributor was pointing a little off #1, slightly towards #3.  This make sense, as the distributor actually fires at 20 BTDC, so it may not be exactly lined up at 0 deg.  

 

If you didn't remove the distributor, chances are it is good.  It certainly isn't 180 deg. out.

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the 3 marks for timing belt install as said

 

when you get to distributor timing there should be a diagnostic plug that I believe you have to connect for doing the base engine time (on the timing marks like a normal motor).  should be in the manual if its there, just mentioning it in case.

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