Jump to content
HybridZ

Timing Slip?


Recommended Posts

Ok I recently had a problem with my 82 280zxt having hesitation problems that would occur every couple days then go away, then come right back. So after not finding anything reading the EFI bible and checking everything I took it to a local shop that deals with Nissan's for 38 years.

 

Well now they are saying the timing is moving by itself, somehow slipping. He said its like 40 degree's off timing! Ive had problems before with timing and had 2 blown headgasket's so this may be my problem?? But not sure yet gonna be a another day before he can get to it, something about distributor bushings may be worn? I figured something like this would be the timing chain tensioner? But I guess it could be a lot of things...

 

If anyone has any input it would be great, because I really am anxious on what could be causing this. Or if anyone has ever had this problem? :cry:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

The drive gear on the distributor quill shaft is pressed on. Sounds like it is spinning. Tony D. has talked about pinning it for very good reason. Sounds like this is that reason..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Buy a new shaft, find a suitable hardened dowel pin (JeffP and I used a 3mm Hardened Pin) and then go to it.

It was spotfaced, drilled and then reamed undersize to the 3mm dowel, then the dowel (frozen to -40 in a freezer) was pressed in using an arbor press.

 

Of course the hole was deburred, typical machinist practices were followed, ends of the pin were staked just to be sure... If I had not SEEN the thing jump almost 180 degrees while on the dyno during a hiccup, I would NEVER have thought the thing would have done it like it did!

We retimed the distributor, then ran it again till we got a slight instability, went back to idle to check time and found the timing had moved 7 degrees!

 

Once they go, they go again easier. Since pinning it, we have not had a problem with it moving. It's probably overkill with a 3mm pin, but meh...I know it won't spin! LOL

 

BTW, I have JeffP's OLD spindle in my car, it DOES NOT line up with the mark on the oil pump, so I had to time it 'by guess and by golly' to get the proper 11:25 drive tang positioning. That is the only reason I say to use a new shaft: you can pin it and then timing the engine is a matter of lining up the 'dot' with the mark on the oil pump and stuffing it up there, as opposed to dicking around trying to figure out how many teeth to offset to get it right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Tony! When you say "new" shaft, do you mean a good used one, does the dealer actually sell component parts for the distributor, or did you just make one somehow?

 

Off topic: I have another post regarding timing that I would appreciate your input on! (when I first posted it, I put in on zcar.com too and you responded there, but now I have additional info) http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=124863

Link to comment
Share on other sites

New means New. JeffP orderd it from Nissan, it was not cheap!

If you know the one you are pinning hasn't slipped and will line up properly I don't see why you couldn't pin a used one. That's what I'm running.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...