Timing on RB20DET

[lowlux]

this is a quick 1,how do u do the timing on the rb20det?

and what should it be?

[BOOSTMEISTER]

line up the holes on the cam gears with the lines on the backing plate to set the cams then line up the crank by aligning the crank pulley with its reletave marks....you will see them when you get that far into it. You will need a pulley puller to do it though. also when the crank is right then the front piston is a TDC.

Also a genuine belt also has the lines on the belt to show you where everything should be.

[lowlux]

arrrrrh so u have to take the plastic front cover off,then adjust them, well what happends when u play with the crankangle sensor? whats that do

lol sorry i must sound dumb but ive only ever messed around with carby motors

[BOOSTMEISTER]

OK sorry, I should have asked what it was that you were trying to do.

So, What are you tryign to do?

I assumed you were changing the timing belt.

[BOOSTMEISTER]

CAS should be left right in the middle unless you want to advance or retard the timing like me with my crazy drag fuel hehehe or a mechanic changes it to tune the car etc.

[lowlux]

sooo when u hook up the timing light,u position the crank angle sensor until it reads what? what should it be on a standard rb20det,all ive got is an exaust and thats it,what should the timing be?

[adam 32]

theres a sticker on the inside of your bonnet, i think its 15 or seomthing... consult the sticker though!

[blind_elk]

I think you need a special timing light. The trigger is a loop of wire on the loom that plugs into the igniter module.

And, yes, the base timing is 15 BTDC.

[lowlux]

yeah but cant u just get no1 coil off and put a spark plug lead between the coil and the spark plug? would that work?

[Zahos]

Yeah, that would work just as well.

What kind of timing light do you have?

- The type that taps into the lead, or

- The type with the magnet loops, that wraps around your lead?

If you have the later, then dont bother with a lead on coil pack no 1, and use the wire on top of the igniter module...

[lowlux]

nah its my mates and his is the one that taps into the sparkplug lead, i might also take me front cover off and have a look at the cam timing

[sycorb]

y dont mark the cas b4 u take it off .put a mark on the cover and on the cas with some paint,use paint marker pen

[Cubes]

With good fuel good exhaust from the turbo back with a good cat, fmic, I was able to run 25deg timing with no pinging at all running 16-17psi in the mid that I was unaware of.

I thought it was 14-15psi.

Damn boost guage.

[blind_elk]

Originally posted by lowlux

yeah but cant u just get no1 coil off and put a spark plug lead between the coil and the spark plug? would that work?

No you can't, because the coil connects onto the sparkplug by a little spring-loaded electrode (like the one in the centre of a distributor cap). No way you can connect a plug lead.

I've since been told (but not confirmed for myself) that any timing light that has the connector that clips over the plug lead will work using the timing loop on the ignitor pack.