Timing Issues?

[Curtis]

Hello All

 

I have a 77 Corolla with a 3KC engine.

 

I bought it summer of last year, and I drove it around here and there. It has some problems, so it was not a daily driver. I forgot to go out and start it one week this winter (mid December), and the car has not started since (I was at least starting and running it once a week). Recently, I decided to get the car running again, because we are moving, and I would like to drive it to the new place rather than tow it.

 

I bought a coil, distributor cap, rotor, plug wires, and plugs to change out the old ones. Nothing was looking very good, and the car had not ran in just over two months. I went to start replacing everything, and I noticed that the person who did the last tune-up on the car had the plug wires in reverse order. The distributor was also pointing towards the engine (the vacuum *thing* that normally sits about parallel with the engine was pointing at the engine [compared to the manual installation instructions and a visual of a 4KC]). I cannot fathom how this car was running before. I put the new wires in correctly and changed out all the other parts, but the car still will not start. I have tried adjusting the distributor position, but I still cannot get the thing to work. I am sure it is just timing, and I need to get a timing light to see how off the damn thing is.

 

I am wondering a couple of things though. If the wires were put in wrong, could the distributor have been put in when the 4th cylinder was at TDC and not the first? Should I yank it out, turn the first cylinder to TDC, and install the distributor correctly? Could the timing belt be in there wrong? The car did run before. No one has messed with the engine (I believe). I was just keeping fluids changed and topped off until I could have time for real work on it.

 

Does it sound like I am heading in the right direction? Anyone else have any ideas? I have checked the fuel system to make sure gas is making it to the carb, and the fuel system checks out. New coil, cap, rotor, plugs, and wires would make me think the ignition system is functional (the old stuff actually works, because I tested them out on a 4KC that is located in a totalled Starlet for shits and giggles).

 

Any help would be awesome. I would just swap in the 4KC, but I cannot have two non working cars at the new rental, so the Starlet has to go to the bone yard, and the 3KC gets a makeover when I get moved in. :P

[Dan]

but the car still will not start. I have tried adjusting the distributor position, but I still cannot get the thing to work. I am sure it is just timing, and I need to get a timing light to see how off the damn thing is.

You won't be able to use a timing light if the car won't start.

 

Have you seen if your getting spark? Does the motor turn over? Has it got fuel, and more importantly, is it recieving fuel and pumping fuel into the carby?

[Raven]

Remove the distributor, manually turn the motor over till the crank pulley is sitting on TDC and piston number one is at top dead centre. Stick a screwdriver in the oil pickup where the dizzy goes and turn the oil pump pick-up so when you put the dizzy in, the rotor button is facing piston one.

 

Turn the motor so the crank pulley mark is sitting at 8 degrees BTDC.

 

Now, move the dizzy so the mark on the dizzy body is in line with the line on the rotor button. Move it just past this point so its just about to open up.

 

Thats static timing the motor.

 

Lock the dizzy in place. Put your dizzy cap on, make sure the plugs are in the correct order of 1-3-4-2, going clockwise when look at the dizzy from the front of the car.

 

Charge up your battery too.

 

Let us know how you go. :P

Edited March 7, 2007 by Raven

[KE70 Spec: D]

sounds like the timin was done 180 degrees out, and they changed everything else to match instead...