STI port not grounding so I can set timing.

[Coffinator6]

Car is a 92 L 5 speed if it matters. replaced the dizzy because it was leaking internally. As well as the front seal, oil pan gasket, timing belt( yes it's on correctly, I'm 1000% sure). Got the car back together and try timing it and no change in timing with STI port grounded to chassis. My STI port is yellow/green, not yellow/black stripe like everything says it should be. Every manual says to ground it. Just never states where to ground it to. I grounded it to the chassis thinking a ground is a ground. Somewhere I saw that someone grounded it through the STO connector. The car hasn't ran in 3 weeks because it runs so horribly and has NO power. I've searched this forum hi and low to find and answer to prevent making this thread.

So my question is, is my STI port correct and is a chassis ground sufficient enough? If not, what's my next move?


as far as the pic goes. wire colors are as follows.

STO connector
top center- yellow with black stripe
top right- yellow with white stripe
bottom- blue with green stripe

STI port- yellow with green stripe
(not pictured)there is also another yellow with green stripe wire with a flat spade connector next to the obd1 port. spade connector looks factory.

[dalebwilson]

That is the correct ST1 port. The other yellow/green should be a white connector and is for RPM from the disty. I have a pre-made wire with male spade and alligator clip that I connect to the battery negative post. I keep that in my tool kit at all times. With the engine off, ground ST1 and then crank. Your engine is now ready to have base idle and ignition timing set. Idle should be set at 700 RPM and ignition timing at -10BTDC.

[Coffinator6]

thanks Dale.

When setting timing the car still needs to be running correct? I know that's kind of an idiot question but I rather be clear on this process. Is the -10 degrees on the scale toward the front of the car or the timing mark toward the rar side of the car on the belt cover?

So just like this picture shows, line up the -10BTDC mark on the crank pulley with the timing cover mark with the sti port grounded and the car running?

http://www.fordfestiva.com/repair_database/90-93%20festiva/A10919-C.jpg

[dalebwilson]

Exactly. Line the white mark on the pulley up with the "10" on the scale attached to the lower cover. Car has to be running and at normal operating temperature. Loosen the 2 disty bolts and move if not at -10BTDC.


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[Coffinator6]

Tried that with the sti port grounded. The timing mark would never even get close to the scale. It was on the back side of the motor by the single timing mark tab. Every time I tried to turn the dizzy it bring it back around. It would kill the motor.

[dalebwilson]

What RPM is your base idle set at?

[dalebwilson]

Also, make sure your timing light is connected to the #1 spark plug.

[jimdigs]

I had to line the white notch (on the pulley) up with the pointer not the scale.

[Coffinator6]

The car wouldn't idle down past 1100-1200. If we tried to get it to come down, it would just die.

Yes it's connected to number 1. I'm not that blond.

[Flyin4stroke]

I've had this problem too but it was with the b6t. Once I moved the timing I could never get it to set back to where it would show on the little plate. It would always show in the back of the motor. It has to be the belt. One tooth top or bottom.

[Coffinator6]

Thanks Flyin. I've had the timing belt off and on about 4 times making sure it was right after every time it wouldn't time correctly. I'll tripple check it again and see. After 5 straight days of messing with it, I might have overlooked something so simple. I'm still sure I put it on correctly. But it wouldn't hurt to take a couple minutes and check it again. The last time I put it back on, I even had my buddy double check it to make sure since I was getting extremely frustrated with it.

Can you confirm that it should be setting timming on the scale. Not the timing mark on the back of the motor.

Also. Does it matter if I use the tdc on the pully with the 10* mark on the scale. Or use the 10*btdc on the pully with the tdc mark on the scale. Just wondering. In theory, I would imagine they would give the same result.

[jimdigs]

I have never had anyone tell me what the scale is even used for. I set my timing using the first notch on the right in the pulley as pictured here and the pointer. With the car running then try and ground the sti and you should notice that the engine slows down. Be careful cuz ya can get zapped.019.jpg

[jimdigs]

019.jpg Just to be clear.

[Coffinator6]

My old cover had that. My new cover doesn't. So I measure the location on the old cover and transfered it to the new one. Thats the mark I was trying to get it to line up with. I got it to line up with that with the port grounded. But when I ungrounded the port, the timing never changed.

[jimdigs]

My old cover had that. My new cover doesn't. So I measure the location on the old cover and transfered it to the new one. Thats the mark I was trying to get it to line up with. I got it to line up with that with the port grounded. But when I ungrounded the port, the timing never changed.

Do you mean it goes back to where it was before the grounding of the sti? or do you mean that once you set the timing while grounded when ungrounded it stays in the same spot, which would be a good thing. Did you set your rpms to 500 while it is grounded?