Replacement Engine in! Problem! Help Please!

[System-G]

I take it you've checked the cams are the correct orientation (ie knock pins on cam shafts 180deg to eachother before cam pulleys fitted?)



If you have the cam belt off, you could also set TDC without the crank pulley

[lazaros1]

Yeah I've checked the cams like you've said there, I used the same service manual as the one in those pics to set all that up.

I did set to TDC without the crank pulley on when the engine was out using the method in the 2nd pic. I'm gonna sort the ignition timing out later hopefully cos the cam timing all seems fine.

[lazaros1]

ok, update on this, haven't had much of a chance to mess around with the car, seems to be raining all the time when I get the chance!!! It's supposed to be xxxxxx summer!

Can confirm the cam timing is defo right, and I've done the ignition timing exactly as stated in previous posts and was doing it right in the first place anyway. I still can't get the needle to line up with the 10 deg notch!!!!!!!!!!!! It just doesn't make sense, when I'm rotating the distributor to adjust the ignition timing the sound of the engine changes, it sounds best somewhere in the middle and sounds about right but when I check the timing gun, the needle is to the left of the first notch (TDC) rather than to the right of the TDC notch where the second 10Deg Notch is. When i go to each extreme (furthest clockwise and furthest anti-clockwise), the sound of the engine is not as good as it is somewhere in the middle so that tells me the distributor is in the right place it just needs a reference point to get the timing bang on, but this reference point isn't there as the needle doesn't line up witht the notches!

What I'd try to do before, and tried again, which is the logical thing to do I think, was remove the distributor and put it back in with the rotor arm adjusted accordingly so that the needle when setting the ignition timing can travel further right and closer to the 2nd 10deg notch, however when I do this the car just about starts as if the timing is out of range and doesn't stay running unless it's revved. When I rev it to keep it running I can just about check the timing with the light and find the needle is now to the right of the TDC notch where it should be but the engine doesn;t run right as the timing is out. This is what just doesn't make sense to me! So this is my problem still and I don't know how/why it would possibly happen!? What other factors are there that could affect this? Any ideas.....?

[LimeyMk1]

Did you get round to checking the TPS? There should be info in your service manual on how to do it.

Does sound a lot like a TPS malfunction.

[System-G]

I'm with Limey on this one.

[lazaros1]

Ok cool, I defo need to check that then, the TPS came with the replacement engine I got, I could always use my old one if it's dodgy and needs replacing anyway, do I check the resistances when the engines running or not?

[LimeyMk1]

Doesn't matter as you have to unplug the TPS to test it.

I'd be tempted to use your old TPS if you knew it worked.

[lazaros1]

Right update on this, changed the TPS to my old one, sorted the timing aswell, another thing I picked up on was that my spark plugs were NOT pre-gapped as I first thought so adjusted these which made a big difference, engine is now running quite well. I've bled the coolant aswell so all seemed fine. Drove the car for a while (15-20 mins) and was already warm before that aswell, all seemed well and seemed to pull quite stongly. Towards the end of the drive the engine would sometimes cut out when coming to a junction as I dip the clutch, and when idling would sometimes randomly just start to fluctuate by a couple of 100rpm, sometimes it would cut-out just from idling from no reason! Does anyone have any ideas on what could cause this as it's not consistently doing this but only sometimes? Could I need to bleed the coolant more or something?

Also, when I turn the ignition on, the engine warning light does not turn itself off, I know this means there is an error code, but have checked that and ther defo isn't a fault code. Could this be to do with the fact that I'm using a replacement engine and some of the sensors and things may be slightly different and seen as 'Alien' to my ECU which would be why it's doing this? Has anyone else experienced that with a replacement engine before?

[jimi]

Could be couple of things, some air in the system or your warm idle is needing adjusted up or possibly the AAV not closing consistently. Also worth noting that when you have your foot on the brakes (at junction for instance) the idle up circuit will kick in and lift the idle by approx 200 rpm.
Get the engine properly warm and see what it idles at with nothing electrical switched on, ie heater blower off, lights off, wipers off, heated rear screen of, foot off the brakes and doors shut, should idle steady at 800 rpm.
Jimi