Mitsubishi 4G32 Timing

[Tango-Charlie]

Today I finished a conversion from points, condenser, removing the old coil, distributor cap, rotor, and plugs to the Petronix Electronic Ignition Module with the Flame Thrower Coil. I also removed the old ceramic resistor during the conversion. The engine was running before I started the process but was obviously in need of a tune up. Before starting I lined up the timing mark on the crank pulley to 0 degrees TDC put a little white out on the marks and removed the distributor cap and ensured the rotor was pointing right at the #1 distributor cap contact. After removing the points etc. and removing the ceramic resistor I installed the new Petronix module and coil. After checking all the wiring three times I fired it up. WOW it immediately fired up and ran very smooth. I took it out of the garage and drove it to warm it up before checking the timing. I pulled it back into the garage and shut it down and hooked up the timing light to #1 cylinder. I again started it, which I think it only turned over twice before starting. It ran smooth and I throttled it back to a slow idle and removed the vacuum line to check the timing. Again the engine was running really smooth. I turned on the timing light and couldn't see the white marks anywhere near the timing cover BTDC marks. I loosened the distributor and moved the distributor but the marks still would not appear near the timing marks on the timing belt cover. But while moving the distributor I could tell it was changing because it would start running rougher. I set it where the engine was running the smoothest. My question is why can't I get it timed with the timing light with the marks I made before installing the new electronic module? Any advise would be appreciated. Even in the Petronix instructions it said to check the timing after installing the module. I should have used the timing light to check the marks before removing the old points etc. Any comments or advise would be appreciated even though its running great.

 

[Redline]

That engine has a rubber bonded type damper on it, correct? If so, it's likely the outer ring spun on the inner hub.

 

[Tango-Charlie]

That engine has a rubber bonded type damper on it, correct? If so, it's likely the outer ring spun on the inner hub.

I'll check the manuals and look at it and see if it has the rubber bonded type damper on Thursday when I work on it again. If that's the case I'll find TDC on the compression stroke and make a new mark on the damper to set the correct timing. Thanks for the lead as I'll check it out and post what I find after Thursday.

 

[Tango-Charlie]

I'll check the manuals and look at it and see if it has the rubber bonded type damper on Thursday when I work on it again. If that's the case I'll find TDC on the compression stroke and make a new mark on the damper to set the correct timing. Thanks for the lead as I'll check it out and post what I find after Thursday.

Interesting conclusion about the timing. The engine is running smooth as can be. However we are not able to use a timing light and have had to adjust it manually by ear. Either the damper shifted on the rubber or it sheered a key and moved. After double checking everything we noticed a newer nut and washer on the damper pulley to the crank with a white paint mark on it. This nut and washer are obviously newer than any other nut and washer on the engine and can be seen by just looking at it. Being the engine is purring like a kitten we don't want to do anything further until I have a chance in a couple months to talk to the previous owner and see if he sheered a key and why there is a newer nut and washer with a white paint mark on it. We're not sure if that new white mark on the nut is the new timing mark or what it's purpose is. Hopefully I'll figure this out in the next couple months even though the engine is purring like a kitten.

 

[wings5j]

Interesting conclusion about the timing. The engine is running smooth as can be. However we are not able to use a timing light and have had to adjust it manually by ear. Either the damper shifted on the rubber or it sheered a key and moved. After double checking everything we noticed a newer nut and washer on the damper pulley to the crank with a white paint mark on it. This nut and washer are obviously newer than any other nut and washer on the engine and can be seen by just looking at it. Being the engine is purring like a kitten we don't want to do anything further until I have a chance in a couple months to talk to the previous owner and see if he sheered a key and why there is a newer nut and washer with a white paint mark on it. We're not sure if that new white mark on the nut is the new timing mark or what it's purpose is. Hopefully I'll figure this out in the next couple months even though the engine is purring like a kitten.

Hi again, I just replied to your fuel cutoff post but thought I would repeat a request I made here: Could you give the details on how you found the proper electronic ignition kit for your distributor? I would sure like to do the same thing. Glad to hear it was successful. John

 

[craigb93]

Hi again, I just replied to your fuel cutoff post but thought I would repeat a request I made here: Could you give the details on how you found the proper electronic ignition kit for your distributor? I would sure like to do the same thing. Glad to hear it was successful. John

EMFBI.......I took a picture of the distributor on my 742 Ford and used the kit vendor's site form for submitting the dist #. They responded in 10 minutes. Ordered kit. -Dick

 

[wings5j]

EMFBI.......I took a picture of the distributor on my 742 Ford and used the kit vendor's site form for submitting the dist #. They responded in 10 minutes. Ordered kit. -Dick

Craigb93,
Your advice was good. After going to the website, I sent an email to Pertronix and they responded quite quickly with the proper kit and coil number. They also helped by phone and email with a few questions I had.
63012753, after reading your story, I did a check of my timing prior to removing the points. On my 742B, their is a window in the front cover to check timing. At the back of the twin belt crankshaft pulley is a notch that lines up with the timing scale above that shows TDC and degrees BTDC and ATDC. The maintenance manual states to time at 5 degrees BTDC. As Craig mentioned, the vacuum line gets plugged while timing and the rpm required I forget but it was something between 750 and 950 I believe. Out of town now so don't have a ready reference.
I took some soapstone and worked it into the pulley notch and highlighted the 5 degree BTDC line and that made it really easy to see with the timing light.
Take care,
John

 

[Tango-Charlie]

Craigb93,
Your advice was good. After going to the website, I sent an email to Pertronix and they responded quite quickly with the proper kit and coil number. They also helped by phone and email with a few questions I had.
63012753, after reading your story, I did a check of my timing prior to removing the points. On my 742B, their is a window in the front cover to check timing. At the back of the twin belt crankshaft pulley is a notch that lines up with the timing scale above that shows TDC and degrees BTDC and ATDC. The maintenance manual states to time at 5 degrees BTDC. As Craig mentioned, the vacuum line gets plugged while timing and the rpm required I forget but it was something between 750 and 950 I believe. Out of town now so don't have a ready reference.
I took some soapstone and worked it into the pulley notch and highlighted the 5 degree BTDC line and that made it really easy to see with the timing light.
Take care,
John

Thanks, after talking to several mechanics it appears that at some point someone may have spun the pulley on the crank. There was a white mark on the crank and nut so we timed it using that new painted mark and by ear which has worked really good.