Miata Mailing List: October 1997, Message #635
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From: 	CKrivin@aol.com

Subject: Re: 97 manual timing info

Date: 	Sun, 5 Oct 1997 10:07:35 +0000



In a message dated 97-10-01 06:08:43 EDT, you write:



> Subj:	 97 manual timing info

>  Date:	97-10-01 06:08:43 EDT

>  From:	mx5mike@pop.erols.com (MikeB)

>  Reply-to:	mx5mike@pop.erols.com

>  To:	CKrivin@aol.com

>  CC:	miata@realbig.com

>  

>  Hi craig,

>  

>  	Just wanted to see if your newly arrived '97 manual clears

>  

>  some confusion on which timing mark to use when setting with a standard

>  

>  timing light. The 1995 and earlier shop manuals say to use the 'white'

>  

>  mark.......the concensus from the list seems to be to use the 'yellow'

>  

>  mark (which I believe is 10 degrees behind the white). What's the new

>  

>  testament say?...Right now when I check my timing the white (1st) mark 

>  

>  at 6 degrees and the yellow (2nd) mark is at 16 degrees. I think this is 

>  

>  right because it just starts to ping under load on a hot day when

>  running

>  

>  regular gas.

>  

>  

>  					Thanks, 

>  

>  					Mike B

>  					Black '97

Mike:



The new manual says to "verify that the timing mark (white) on the crankshaft

pulley and the T mark on the timing belt cover are aligned." Then a diagram

shows that there are gradations on the timing belt cover.  The diagram also

shows the white and yellow marks on the pulley, with the white mark being

lined up with the "T" on the timing belt cover gradations, and the yellow

mark appears to be 10 deg. to the left on the pulley when standing in front

of the car looking rearwards.  



The manual also says the normal setting is "BTDC 9deg. - 11 deg. (10 + - 1

deg.) (Timing Mark [Yellow])."  I'm not really sure how to interpret that

last part, except it seems to agree with what you described-- that the yellow

mark is 10 degrees before the white mark.  Maybe the "T" represents TDC.



I have not had the time to look at the "real" setup under the hood yet.



So, I'm not so certain the manual "clears this up" very much!  But it appears

to me that you can use either mark... after all they are a fixed distance

apart.  I suspect that the yellow mark does represent the actual timing

setting, while the white mark is supposed to be a reference to TDC if you

were using the stock setting.



All this just to figure out the timing mark!  What happened to the old groove

in the pully lining up with the notch on the engine?  Oh well, I guess I'm

dating myself again.



All you gurus out there, please let me know what you think?



THANKS



Craig Krivin

triple black 97 r

78 vw red 924

Club enjoying the suddenly warmer weather and the brilliant fall foleage up

here in New York State!