Help with timing

[Pops]

Ok, santa delivered the timing light so as I had already changed the o ring on the cam sensor and set the timing by ear I was eager to see how far off my " by ear "setting might be , so connected up the timing light as instructed.... no timing mark to be found on the pulley so I had to find it and give it a dab of white paint, now went back to check the timing.... still no timing mark showing so I'm a bit puzzled so tried it using cylinder 4 instead... still no marks... so for some reason I tried it on cylinder 2... now the timing marks show up but the mark is totally off, probably 20degrees advance.
I have tried the inductive lead both ways but it still won't pick up timing marks on number 1.
Is it possible that the cam sensor has been fitted 180degrees out ? I did think it would only fit one way.
Confused

[Pops]

Somehow I double posted, anyone able to remove one of them ?

[Pops]

Suppose the easiest way to describe it is that the timing marks are possibly 180degrees out

[sidewaysreilly]

What brand timing light? Car certainly wouldn't run if pulley mark not showing near timing marks.

[Pops]

Well, went at it today. The timing mark is there alright only thing is ,when no1 is at top dead centre, the timing mark is facing the ground at approximately 90 degrees further to the right than the timing marks on the cover.
I thought maybe the belt pulley might have been fitted wrong when the timing belt was done last so I took it off only to find that the pulley will only fit one way thanks to a guide pin, so next I took off the rocker cover and checked the valve timing , when the camshaft marks line up the crank belt pulley still points to the ground.
For the time being I have put another mark on the pulley for where no1 is at TDC , now I can find the mark with the timing light , this will do for now until I get a timing belt kit , not in stock(€120 +vat retail) in local motor factors .

[sidewaysreilly]

SOMETHING very wrong here. There is a mark on the crank when the pulley is removed. It should be at 12 o clock.

[Pops]

Ya, still,when the piston is at TDC ( checking with a screwdriver down the plug hole)the cam gears do line up properly .
Timing belt kits from mx5 parts on eBay are much cheaper than the local factors so I'll get them there, strange thing is the car drives ok but I just feel it lacks some power , I think it's because the ignition timing isn't set properly also it doesn't seem to rev much more than 5000 rpm

[Pops]

New timing belt kit (belt,pulley ,tensioner &I spring),both camshaft seals and crankshaft seal ordered from autolink £67.50 including postage to parcel motel in Antrim , so about €78 plus €3.50 for parcel motel. Not bad considering the local factors wanted €120 + vat for just the timing belt kit.
Will be interesting to see if the timing belt is fitted correctly when I strip it, anyway the belt needs to be done, last owner "thinks" he got it done but with all his reciepts there is no record of it being done, only one t belt sticker on cam cover ,a jap one with 94000klm on it. 184000klm now so just as well to do it now

[gasha]

Hi Pops when you are in there it would be advisable to fit a new water pump and thermostat plus check the condition of your cooling hose's. The joys of owning a classic.

[Pops]

Thanks gasha, I'd forgotten about the water pump. Hoses are another thing , most rubber parts on the car seem hard so will check them as well, unfortunately this car will have to join the back of the Q now as four of the kids cars are waiting for me to service them , anyway the parts ordered today will take a good while to come so hopefully get all others done in the meantime

[Pops]

Fault has been found, it turns out the pulley is a harmonic balancer, basically 2 pulleys with a rubber insert between them and this rubber part has failed allowing one part of the pulley to turn slower than the other, thus upsetting the timing mark.
New / second hand pulley needed. As said before, almost every rubber part on this car seems perished, I seem to have spent as much on repair as I did buying it

[Pops]

All done now, got a 2nd hand pulley from mx5spares, fitted the timing belt etc, now the timing marks line up properly. My "by ear" setting of the ignition timing was off , about 18/20 degrees btdc. Now reset to 10degree btdc and reset the idle

[Pops]

IMG_1790.JPG

White timing mark almost 180 degrees out, it should be where the small socket is

[MX5Spares]

Hi glad to see it all worked out !! Happy days

[Steve]

whoops, well spotted