Distributor timing

DESCONOCIDO2019

MEMBER
1999 HONDA CRV
2.0L
4 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
210,000 MILES

I was having issues with my car not starting at all. Checked for fuel good, checked air good, checked compression good, timing good. Checked for spark at the beginning it wasn't there, so replace the distributor cap only put it back to normal tried to started nothing, someone told me to replace the rotor as well or the whole distributor, which I decided to get a new distributor. Took the old out and put the new one on but never check the position of the rotor in the distributor I try to started it and nothing same problem.

the problem I have now is not firing correcting, wired are not in the right spot in the distributor cap probably and the firing sequence is messed up as well.
I need to know how to bring the no. 1 piston to The Dead Center (TDC) in the compression and not in the combustion. So the car start.
any more information please let me know so I can give it to you.

Thank you.

1 Reply

KASEKENNY

MECHANIC
18,907 POSTS

At this point you need to remove the distributor and set the engine to TDC on number one. There are a number of ways to do this. The easiest is to get an attachment for your compression set that has a whistle on it. When you turn the engine over and the whistle blows then stops is when you are at TDC. Due to the valves being closed and the only place for the air to escape is through the spark plug hole where you have your compression gauge hose and whistle on the end.

If you don't want to get one of these, then have someone else turn the engine over by hand and you hold your thumb over the spark plug hole and feel for the air to push it off. As soon as you stop feeling the air then it is at TDC. Also, if you are not sure about this, you can feel the air and then put a long wooden dowel down the spark plug hole so it sits on the top of the piston. Then continue to turn the engine over until that dowel comes up to a stop and starts back down. Clearly stop the piston at its peak.

Once you have the engine at TDC then you install the distributor so the rotor points to the number one position if it is marked. If it is not marked then you can just install the distributor but you need to put the number 1 plug wire in the spot on the cap that the rotor is point. Then just put the others in the corresponding positions on the cap.

Let me know if you have questions on this and we can get more info. Thanks

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