tomeyeman

Okay, okay. I think I know my problem. I didn't line up the crankshaft mark to "about 50 degrees ATDC" to line up with the pulley bolt.

I have it done now and will put it back together. Hope no major damage was done.

Banshee365

I think using a timing light is pretty useless on these electronic ignition cars unless you have a way to disable any possible timing advance control it has. Line up the marks with the tensioner installed and check them several times before you start bolting it back together.

tomeyeman

I think I'm getting it right this time. One thing that had be curious is the mark on my left cam pulley. In all the tutorials I've seen on-line, the mark is notched on the front like this:



Mine only has a notch on the back lip (highlighted with liquid paper). There is no notch at all on the front. I'm assuming this is the mark to use?:



In fact, my pulley looks different-- It doesn't have the big inner lip, where the notch is located on the tutorial:



The right cam pulley looks exactly like the tutorials:

tomeyeman

Damn, damn, damn!

I got it all back together and it's exactly the same. Starts after giving it some gas, gives off a little rotten egg smell, sputters and knocks a bit but actually drives okay--good power--no backfires. Cuts off immediate when stopping and letting off the gas (sounds like other posts I've read

I'm 100% sure the timing marks were right. This will be like the 5th time I've checked them. Car was running fine before I broke it down (except for some overheating from the bad water pump).

OH well, I know when to quit. Time to tow it in. I admit defeat

One other thing I thought about, I got an after-market timing belt. It had the 3 lines but no labels (L-Cam, R-Cam). So I ASSUMED the two closet marks go to the cams while the one fartherest away to the crank. Guess I will get a labled belt next time.

DK Audio

Did you ever find out what was wrong? I have a 98 and am going to be doing this soon...

tomeyeman

Believe it or not, my car has been sitting at a machine shop for the past 4 1/2 weeks. Evidently he will "get to it when he can". I'm getting ready to take it to another place since I don't like having to BEG people to take my money.

This guy is supposed to take a look at it to determine if it would be worthwhile rebuilding it vs. putting in a used engine. I figured it would take a week or two but I forgot too many people work on the own timeframe.

So.....I'm waiting.

killsnake

There is a strong possibility you bent some valves, reason why I say that. Is you said you were 50 degrees ATDC, these motors are interference motors. I would reccomend cylinder leak down test to see if air is escaping through the valves, rings, or head gasket. I would rule out ignition because you said car ran great minus the heating issue. How hot did the car run prior? Good Luck with project

tomeyeman

After 2 months sitting at the machine shop, the idiot mechanic was supposed to tear down the engine to see what was wrong and if was was worth rebuilding. Instead he got a used engine from a junk yard. He couldn't tell me how many miles was on it so I was on a search throughout the city to find out where the motor came from. Turns out it has 120,000 miles on it. Ok whatever.

So he took it upon himself to put it in. It took 1 1/2 days (after sitting for 7 weeks) and I picked it up. $2,400 later it ran great. Two days later it began making a moderate load 'ticking' noise on acceleration. No noise reving the engine in neutral or park. So the engine sounds fine.

So I took it back and idiot mechanic can't hear the noise as he road with me but admits he is losing his hearing. So his adult son rode with me and he heard it and said it sounds like an exhaust problem.

So I took the car to a muffler shop and the guy instantly told me it was a problem with the exhaust manifold when they put it back together.

So then I took it back to idiot mechanic and he told me it wouldn't hurt anything but I explained to said idiot that I will be selling the car and probably can't get anyone to buy it sounding like a helicopter. So he told me to bring it back in 2 weeks and at this point I lost my cool. After 2 months I wasn't going to wait 2 more weeks for him to 'look at it'. He relented and told me to bring it back in tomorrow.

Could it be the exhaust gasket? On hindsight I probably should have just drove this car to a junkyard. But other than the noise, it runs perfectly.

alfonzo

I consider myself a good mech..I have a 96 ls400 with 192000 i'm considering on changing the timing belt & H2O pump however after reading the threads ?????? . wouldn't it be important to make sure the #1 cyl be @ TDC in conjunction with timing mark.

alfonzo

The # 1 piston must B on the compression stroke,,,,,(,timing belt replace)
My 96 ls400 seem to idle to long @ around 1100 to 1200 rpm before it start to drop down to around 600rpm?????

eldouche

STOP IT

98+ == interference
up to 97 non-interference

jtamulis

iTrader: (1)

The 1995 LS400 -IS- an interference motor, period.
And so are all other 1UZ 96+. Please don't give wrong info out.

jtamulis

iTrader: (1)

Ok, I had a kind of similar problem on a GS300 I just finished. Turns out the TPS was out of spec, so when I "set it to 10 dergees" the tps told the ecu I was hitting the throttle, so it advanced the timing to compensate. When I got the TPS fixed I actually had the timing set a few degrees retared from TDC. I know the 1UZ you can't adjust timing, like on a 2JZ, but you can adjust the TPS and check it with the car turned off, it only takes about 15 min, and is worth a try.

I hope that helps, also you're in NC, I have a 1995 Service manual if you need help, and if you're close enough to Chapel hill I may be able to help.



Jeff

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

lose the attitude

you are completely incorrect, previous poster already corrected you.

bcmyers

ok i have a 94 sc400.. I just did the water pump and timing belt on it... but i cannot get it timed right... it is at the crack pulley is lined up on 0, the car ran like s***.... then i tore it down and lined it up at about 14 and rested the cams it still runs like crap.... the is probably a retarded question but you guys seem to be having close to the same prob... is it possible that since the crank pulley goes around twice that maybe it looks top dead center it is really 180 degrees off...???