Replacing your timing belt (with pics)

tomw · Jul 22, 2015

Before going to the effort of R&R'ing the belt, why not set the distributor timing to 10BTDC and see how it performs? There is a rectangular plug{SPOUT} on the loom of wires leading to the distributor from the drivers side inner fender. It can be removed, and stored for replacement when done. When the plug is removed, the timing is fixed at 10BTDC, or should be adjusted to that number. The distributor hold-down bolt is near the base of the distributor, on the front side. It will go through a bar that pushes on the distributor and the block. It jams the distributor from turning freely. Loosen that with a 14mm, I think, so you can rotate the complete distributor. With the engine warmed, start it up and check that the timing shows the notch in the crank pulley lines up with 10BTDC. If not, rotate the distributor so it does. Turn off the engine, and tighten the hold down. Re-start the engine and check that it hasn't moved. If OK, replace the jumper. The engine should run well, and develop normal power.
If that doesn't fix it, your cam timing might be off. To get the cam timed properly requires R&R the cam belt, at least enough to turn the cam one tooth in either direction.
Do that, and see if it responds. If it were me, I'd take a picture of the original mark from the web and place it near where the pointer used to exist. It should give a close enough image that you can line up the cam to the non-existent pointer. Just make it look like the picture using surrounding bits & pieces for clues.
Also, it would not hurt to check for cracked, broken or disconnected vacuum lines that may have gotten damaged or loose. That will definitely affect idle. The MAP sensor can do the same, making the idle terribly un-stable.
tom

Mark_88 · Jul 22, 2015

Good info Tom...I backed away from that method because on some engines you need to actually remove the distributor cap to reach the hold down bolt. On my carb setup I could reach the bolt (11/16 might be 14 mm) from underneath because I didn't have power steering or AC to deal with...

Anyway, I also didn't realize that setting base timing that way worked on FI systems...good to know!

Son of a Gun · Jul 28, 2015

Well I was well on my way for timing to be fixed but now I have a new problem. The battery is shorting somewhere before the starter I think. Because it drained the battery over the weekend I was away and even the morning after recharging. So I swapped the battery with another one handy to see if the battery just went bad and it is the same thing. Dash light, head lights and radio all work strong but when I turn the key it just clicks. Plus it arcs nicely when hooking up the terminals so that might suggest a draw. I don't know why it is. I've been swapping the timing belt, but the only electrical things I disturbed was unhooking the battery, spark plugs and distributor. I didn't even fool with the alternator like the manual wanted you too. So I don't know if I just bumped something or if something just "went" now.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

WarHawk-AVG · Jul 28, 2015

Son of a Gun said:
Well I was well on my way for timing to be fixed but now I have a new problem. The battery is shorting somewhere before the starter I think. Because it drained the battery over the weekend I was away and even the morning after recharging. So I swapped the battery with another one handy to see if the battery just went bad and it is the same thing. Dash light, head lights and radio all work strong but when I turn the key it just clicks. Plus it arcs nicely when hooking up the terminals so that might suggest a draw. I don't know why it is. I've been swapping the timing belt, but the only electrical things I disturbed was unhooking the battery, spark plugs and distributor. I didn't even fool with the alternator like the manual wanted you too. So I don't know if I just bumped something or if something just "went" now.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

Could be a bad ground if arcing but not starting

SAMSUNG say whaaaaaat?

tomw · Jul 29, 2015

It is possible for the solenoid switch to get hung and feed power to the starter if the battery is low on charge and the solenoid old and gummed.
You can attempt to find the load by two processes. There are several fusible links on solenoid terminal on the 'battery' side. You can remove them all, and touch them one at a time to the + post to see which is drawing current. The alternative is to remove fuses one at a time to see which one prevents the arc when connecting the cables.

I have been able to reach the hold down bolt using some Harbor Freight 'wobbly' extensions. The tip of the extension has curved walls that allow the socket to move off center from the extension centerline so you have a bit of flex to come in at a small angle. Perfect for removing bell housing bolts and, in this case, hold down bolts obscured by the distributor bowl. Other than that, it is box/open end moving 1/8 of a turn at a time... sloow.

tom

Son of a Gun · Jul 29, 2015

Well I tested them like you say, and the terminal that is on the "battery" side for me, only contains the black thick wire that runs down to the starter. Which arcs if I touch it to the positive terminal on the battery. (While the ground is also hooked on the battery)

Son of a Gun · Jul 29, 2015

Would you say that suggests a short in the starter? And that needs to be replaced? I don't know why that would go now specifically if that is the case...

tomw · Jul 30, 2015

Well, look at the other terminal on the solenoid. Does IT have multiple wires connected?

The "Battery" side meant electrically, because I cannot see from here which way your solenoid points or is situated.

Do the stuff in the previous post and see what happens.

If you jump from the "Battery" side to the "Starter" side, you are bypassing the solenoid, and feeding power directly from the battery to the starter. Doing so will draw a LARGE spark if the battery is charged and the starter is intact.(and you have good ground for the starter and battery)
tom

Son of a Gun · Jul 30, 2015

Yes that's true. The "battery" side meaning the one that is wired to the + battery terminal has multiple wires. And I had tried those ones too. The only one that seemed to "crackle" was one that joins the smaller wire (with the little rubber boot thing) on the small threaded terminal they join in a bundle below. If the image works, it's the greenish one at 4 o clock. Both seem like they snake around the front to the bigger bundles on the drivers side fender. But I don't understand, if the starter was good, shouldn't it have turned over when I touched its wire to the + battery terminal?

Mark_88 · Jul 30, 2015

One thing for certain...the big red wire on the top is way too close to the black wire. They can arc out very easily. You should remove the big red one and bend it so that the connector faces away from the bottom wire. There is a little bridge between the two posts and that is there for a reason...so you don't get the wires too close.

The little red boot is your ignition key start line...when the key is in the run "start" position that wire is activated and it closes the relay (also known by many as the solenoid). If that wire is corroded you will get nothing when you turn the key...or if that post is internally broken you will also get nothing and need to replace the solenoid/relay...

Your wiring may be contacting in other places...like the connectors on the starter. I've seen mine break off and dangle...meaning they could touch other wires or ground out on the motor...so check those also...

alwaysFlOoReD · Jul 30, 2015

One big terminal should have only one wire going to it, the starter wire. That looks correct. The other big terminal should have all the other wires needing battery power, including the big wire from the battery. That looks correct. However, I can't tell if the ignition key start line is connected to ONLY the small terminal, it looks like it also connects to the battery+ terminal, which I believe would be incorrect.

Mark_88 · Jul 30, 2015

alwaysFlOoReD said:
One big terminal should have only one wire going to it, the starter wire. That looks correct. The other big terminal should have all the other wires needing battery power, including the big wire from the battery. That looks correct. However, I can't tell if the ignition key start line is connected to ONLY the small terminal, it looks like it also connects to the battery+ terminal, which I believe would be incorrect.

Yes, that certainly does look like the starter line with the boot circles around to the other side with a fusible link in between...my gosh...that is definitely not right...it may be two wires coming close to each other though...some on the older models run behind the panels and whatnot...but...mine had a plate and plastic cover over that section and all wires came from under it...

I would still move the big red cable over a few inches...and if that green/red wire with the boot is one wire...that needs to be corrected...should come from the harness on the driver side with lights, windshiield washer fluid pump, horn, and passenger ejector seat... :icon_twisted:

tomw · Jul 31, 2015

The wire around 4 o'clock is another fusible link wire feeding power from the battery to ???
The wire around 10-ish is the starter relay power source. When the key is in START, that wire should have power, thus powering the relay coils. Coils powered will pull the core into the magnetic field, and pull a copper bar along, too. The bar will connect the big fat battery cable post on the right, having power, to the big fat starter cable post on the left, sending it on to the starter motor, hopefully cranking the engine over.
You can connect the small post, GENERALLY, to the fat battery 'side' post, and enable the relay.
If you jumper from the BATTERY post to the small post, the relay should click or snap. It should also send power to the starter motor, so don't have the transmission in gear.
The starter draws a lot of current. It will actually make the fat wires jump when the power goes through. They'll move, because they set up a field.
If you use jumper cable size wire & clamps from the battery side to the starter side, there'll be a LARGE spark or 12, and the motor should crank. It will make you jump. Don't dither, connect good and hard to minimize sparking. Be ready to disconnect if the motor is locked as you'll get hot cables quickly. If that works, you may have a bad relay.
I would test for 12v coming from the ignition switch when the key is in START at the small relay wire. A screw jammed into the connector along with wire connected to a grounded bulb should show a lit bulb when START is selected.
tom

Son of a Gun · Jul 31, 2015

Well I did as you say and the selenid clicked when I used the jumpers between the battery post and the small one, and it arced when touching the battery post to the starter post, but the starter never turned over. So is the starter bad?

tomw · Aug 1, 2015

If it was a BIG FAT arc, that scared you a bit, then you likely have a bum starter, or one that is jammed into the flywheel and cannot break itself loose. That can happen with a semi-charged battery, or worn or damaged flywheel ring gear teeth or starter gear teeth.
Do one more thing, actually two. Put a charger on the battery to make sure it is fully charged, OR get a helper vehicle with a good battery and with the engine at idle, use jumper cables to your battery, and try the starter. Trying to eliminate a weak battery from the problem.
If it does not crank, then pull the starter. Most times a failing starter will give a little notice that it is getting tired. It will crank slowly, or need to have the ignition moved from ON to START a few times before it will crank. If your starter was cooking along fine, and this is an 'all of a sudden' thing, take the battery with you to have it tested also. The auto parts stores can test starter motors for obvious failure, such as bad brushes or shorted/open windings of the armature or field. They can also test the battery. Be glad it is a four. And a Ranger. It takes a search party on some to even find the starter, much less remove & replace it.
tom

Replacing your timing belt (with pics)

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