Camshaft timing and running very lean

[wendit]

1990 1.3 liter five speed manual, 200K

When I purchased the car at 176K, I immediately replaced the timing belt to find that the pin in the cam shaft which lines up the pulley had broken off. Someone had put a sheet metal screw in the hole to line it up, but the hole in the pulley was wore out of round. I took my best guess as to where it should have been lined up and drilled a hole in the opposite side of the shaft and pounded in a roll pin. The spark plugs were white when I bought it, i assume this means it is very lean since it does not burn antifreeze or any oil. The car has had a rough idle since then and a small miss when idling, but at higher Rs it runs well. I have check everything for vacuum leaks and have found none. I have talked to a mechanic friend of mine and he claims that the cam timing is advanced, and that is making it run lean. Is this true? If that is the cause of the lean burn, how would I find the proper timing for the cam since the pulley is not lined up correctly on the camshaft? I should be able to jump the timing belt to get the timing right. I have put 24K on it in this condition, should I not worry about the lean burn, or will it eventually ruin the engine? Oh, and I recently did a compression test, and every cylinder read between 130 and 140. Any feedback on the situation is appreciated Thanks

[oxbrain]

You could back the timing a little on the distributor, if you're only a little off that might fix it. If that doesn't work then jump back one tooth and go from there.

Otherwise I'd look for something else causing it. It sounds like you did a good enough job of lining up the bottom pulley that you shouldn't be more than a tooth off.

[oldgrezmonke]

see if you can find a parts person who knows what spark plug heat range means . if so, get a set of plugs one heat range colder than standard. since it sounds like your engine is running lean , this may help with the misfire. also do check your ignition timing, if too far advanced that can cause a similar condition.

[wendit]

I never thought of switching to a colder plug, I have adjusted the timing many times, I have advanced a little and retarded it a little and it doesn't seem to run any better no matter which way it is adjusted. Would anyone know what plug what work in a festie and burn cooler

[oldgrezmonke]

not off the top of my head. find a good parts person who can read the plug manufacturers catalogs-most have charts that list their plugs by heat range. also check pcv valve, if stuck open it could allow excess air, also power brake diaphraghm leak is another suspect.

[oldgrezmonke]

further thought-if you decide to check your cam timing go to forum listings/articles/others articles/how to align your timing belt. good illustrations of proper alignment. notice that the camshaft locater pin [partly hidden behind the bolt and washer] should be straight up in line with the upper marks on the cam gear. you should be able to see this well since the hole in your gear is enlarged.