QuestionQUESTION: Hi Tom,
I am working on a neighbor's '94 Geo Metro 3 cylinder fuel injected engine (sold in California) to prepare it for smog inspection. About 15 years ago I have my handwritten note about how to check the spark timing which involved putting a jumper from pin D to pin E at the 6-pin socket (5 wired) diagnostic connector at the left strut tower and then setting the timing to be 5 BTDC at idle.
Two questions: The diagnostic connector is not labeled as to which are pins D and E (the array is 3 on one side, 2 in use on the other side). Her Hanyes manual doesn't show that connector pin identification so could you describe which are D and E or22 the wire colors that are connected thereto?
Also, I assume jumping from D to E cuts out the pcm manipulation of the spark timing, so is the spec of 5 BTDC in that jumped mode correct?
My note says that at the inspection station the timing without the jumper was at 10 BTDC and that was acceptable.
I appreciate your help on this. I am a volunteer in the Chrysler/Dodge repair categories.
Thanks,
Roland
ANSWER: HI ROLAND, I THINK YOU ARE GIVING THIS CAR MORE HI TECH SMARTS THAT WHAT IT REALLY HAS..THIS GOES WAY BACK FOR ME BUT I THINK THIS HAS A VACUUM ADVANCE GOING TO THE HEI DIST ??? IF SO THERE IS NO NEED TO JUMP ANY WIRES AT THE DLC PLUG. HOWEVER IF THERE IS NO VACUUM ADVANCE ON THIS DIST I AM WRONG.. I AM NOT AT WORK NOW SO I CAN NOT LOOK THIS UP ON MY SHOP PC. BUT WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO HERE,DO YOU FEEL THIS WILL NOT PASS INSP LIKE THIS ???YOU REALLY DO NOT SAY THERE IS A PROBLEM JUST WANTING TO KNOW ON THE TIMING ??? I CAN TELL YOU IF TURN THE DIST CLOCKWISE THIS WILL ADVANCE IT FOR YOU..DOES THE ENG PING ???? GET BACK TO ME WITH WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO AS FAR AS INSP GOES...EITHER WAY GET BACK TO ME AND I WILL GET YOU WHAT YOU NEED IN THE MORNING IF NEED BE...THANKS,,,TOM
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Tom,
I am attempting to maximize the chances of passing inspection so wanted to verify that the timing was in spec but I can't do that without doing that jump across the D to E pins of the diagnostic connector. There is no spec other than with that jumper in place. So I need to know where the pins are located on that 2 x 3 array of pins (one pin not in use) on the plug. So if you can look up the pin assignments on the plug I would be most appreciative.
Thanks for your help.
Roland
AnswerHI ROLAND, OK HANG TIGHT I WILL GET YOU THIS INFO IN THE EARLY AM THUR. I HOPE THAT IS OK. I WILL ASSUME THAT I WAS WRONG IN THINKING THIS HAS A VACUUM ADVANCE AT THE DIST ???? MY BUDDY'S WIFES OLD GEO DID HAVE THIS ON THAT DIST...SOMETIMES THESE OLD CARS NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET..TALK AT YOU IN THE AM..TOM
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HI ROLAND,,WELL WE ARE BOTH IN LUCK TONIGHT. MY SHOPS REPAIR CENTER COMPUTER IS ON AND I WAS ABLE TO GET YOUR INFO FOR YOU TONIGHT..YOU ARE CORRECT THE PCM DOES CONTROL THE ENG TIMING..
TAKE HOLD OF THE 6 PLUG CONNECTOR BY THE LEFT STRUT TOWER AND THE HOLD THE CONNECTOR SO THE EMPTY SLOT [NO WIRE TO IT] IS ON THE TOP LEFT FOR A REFERENCE POINT. D IS THE LOWER LEFT AND E IS THE LOWER LEFT CENTER. TO MAKE SURE THIS IS CORRECT HOOK YOUR TIMING LIGHT UP WITH IT NOT JUMPED AND THE TIMING SHOULD BE ALMOST 20 DEGREES OR SO AT IDLE. NOW JUMP IT AND IT SHOULD COME DOWN AND NOW SET TO YOU FACTORY SPEC ON THE CARS RAD CORE SUPPORT,PER GM'S SPEC...PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW THIS GOES EITHER WAY SO I KNOW YOU RECEIVED THIS..GOOD LUCK TO YOU TOM...
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