Are US Aspires/Festivas with Auto boxes gutless?

[Whittey]

The car might be "over-geared" but it sits around 2500RPM @ 60MPH which seems perfectly reasonable to me?

WTF? According to my tach, 70mph is 4000rpm. Do you have a different tranny?


-=Whittey=-

[gtd2000]

It might be a different tranny than used in the US models?

As far as I'm aware the one in this car is a 4 speed autobox?

[Whittey]

4spd? We only get the lowly 3spd. So you're getting shitty mileage and you have an OD. Something is realllllly screwed up then.


-=Whittey=-

[WmWatt]

The timing is controlled by the computer once the engine warms up and the oxygen sensor starts to do it's job. So rotating the distributor might not do anything. As far as the engine goes fuel efficiency is an emissions control function. The controls try to get an optimum 14.7(?) air-to-fuel ratio. You could check for leaks in the vacuum hoses. People spray water on them one-by-one and listen to see if the engine speed changes which implies that one is leaking. Of course cracks and splits in the vacuum hoses can be sources of leaks and they can be checked visually by squeezing and bending the hoses. Still, the hoses on my '89 are still good so the chances of seeing an improvement there might be slight.

Haynes publishes a pretty good emissions manual which one might find at the public library (ours has a copy) or, if not, acquire through inter-library loan.

[gtd2000]

I was chatting with a friend of mines father who is a mechanic by trade.

He thought from first impressions (over the phone!) that it sounds very much like the timing belt had perhaps slipped or jumped a tooth.

What I'd like to know before he checks is:

If the timing belt jumped a tooth would the emissions still be OK?

[Whittey]

Emissions could be ok. I know I had a gigantic hole in my exhaust and most everything was bypassing the cat and I still passed emissions. Checking the timing is pretty easy though. Just pull off the timing belt covers and make sure the marks are aligned properly. (assuming yours are the same as ours)



-=Whittey=-

[yvanlavoie20]

timing

check timing belt to be SURE it was in the proper mark and then adjust your timing like the emission sticker under your hood. di it like the sticker and add 1-3 deg but not more. check with catalitic converter unplugged ... just for fun ...


yvan

[gtd2000]

Emissions could be ok. I know I had a gigantic hole in my exhaust and most everything was bypassing the cat and I still passed emissions. Checking the timing is pretty easy though. Just pull off the timing belt covers and make sure the marks are aligned properly. (assuming yours are the same as ours)



-=Whittey=-

Well I just got back from Prague (where I was pick-pocketed for the first time in my life.... :evil: ) and decided to finally get around to the checking of the timing belt.

Well I managed to line up the top marks as per the diagram but the only bottom marks I could see was the graduated scale with the letter T and the marks with a 10 on the left side of it.
I'm not sure if these were the marks that I should check when the top marks are aligned or not?

If these are the marks that I need to check, then the timing was set at 6* from TDC presumably?
If not - what else should I be looking for?

While in CZ I rented a little Toyota Aygo:

According to the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Aygo the Aygo is only 68hp but pulls like hell in the lower gears with its miniscule 1000cc 3-cylinder engine by comparison to the mighty (NOT!) B3 16v that is in question here! I'm sure that I've got something like 45hp at the wheels compared to the peppy Aygo that I expected to be like a slug with the 3-cyclinder engine....

On a run down to some unpronouncable place in Southern CZ we averaged 55 (UK) mpg which was pretty decent.