How do you set the timing on a 1992 Honda Prelude?

Answer 1

I can offer the timing procedure for my '87. Timing is done with the engine running (non-static method). Hook things up, check to make sure no wiring will get caught while you're using the light and adjusting the distributor. DON'T DO YOUR FIRST TIMING UNTIL ALL ITEMS ARE SET UP AND YOU'VE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE YOU WONT GET SOMETHING CAUGHT IN THE MOVING PARTS OF THE ENGINE. BE SURE ITEMS SUCH AS NECKLACES, BRACELETS, HAIR, CLOTHING, OR WIRES ARE REMOVED OR TIED AWAY FROM THE MOVING PARTS OF THE ENGINE. WARM UP ENGINE AND OBSERVE MOVING PARTS. WHEN ENGINE IS WARMED UP (RADIATOR FAN COMES ON), TURN OFF ENGINE. DO HOOKUPS AND VERIFICATION FOR SAFETY. START ENGINE AND BEGIN WORK SLOWLY, CAREFULLY. A timed engine will "hum" and make your car fuel-efficient. Don't rush. It's not complicated but this needs precision on a running engine. BE CAREFUL. SAFETY FIRST! Timing is done with a timing light shined on the timing mark on the flywheel while the engine is running. The timing mark is located on the flywheel. To see it, there is a small "porthole" about 1" square covered by a square rubber plug. The hole/plug is located on the FRONT of the engine, about 4" from the centerline on the passenger's side. It's down about 5" from the #3 or #4 spark plug. When you pull off the hole's black, square plug: There are three colored marks on the flywheel. You may not see them until the flywheel is rotated or the car is running with the timing light shining on the "pointer" in the hole. THE GREEN MARK IS FOR TIMING. The Red is top-dead center. The White is ???? There is a pointer visible thru the hole which is the alignment item used to align the green mark. The adjustment for the timing is done by rotating the distributor (you must loosen the distributor screws a little). Timing should be done with the engine at the right idle speed, so be sure the tachometer is checked after the car is warmed up (my idle speed is around 750-800 rpm). Your idle speed will be specified on the underside of engine hood, on a sticker showing emissions information. The distributor is to be moved with a little friction from the holding screws so that it doesn't change after you set it and before you tighten one of the screws. Check the timing again afterwards to be sure the distributor wasn't moved during the tightening procedure. So CHECK THE DISTRIBUTOR FOR MOVEMENT BEFORE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. Tighten/loosen at least one of the screws so you can move the distributor but not allow the distributor to change position after you get the timing right. FOR OTHER SETUPS: The timing mark is often located on the end of the engine(near distributor)on the passenger's side, near the main belt pulley. This 5" round pulley probably has all the accessory belts on it (usually three belts) and is located about 12" down from the top of the engine. There is a notch on the pulley that is used as a match-up mark to the mark on the engine block ABOVE the pulley. The mark on the engine is likely about 3" by 1" square with lines on it--perhaps even the numbers indicating the degrees before (or after) top-dead center. Either way, if the specified timing is 15 degrees BEFORE top-dead center, then look for the line with a "15". In this example there might be a "20" on one side of the fifteen, and a "10" on the otherside. MARK THE PULLEY WITH WHITE-OUT, WHITE PAINT, OR CHALK so you can see it when the engine is running. FOR ALL SETUPS: TIMING LIGHT: The timing light is hooked up to the battery (red/black clamps) and the #1 SPARK PLUG WIRE. Be careful before starting engine that the slack in the wires doesn't get caught on moving parts. Once the car is running, point the timing light at the white mark on the pulley. The timing light strobes on/off with each electrical pulse given to the #1 spark plug wire. While pointing the light, you move the distributor, slightly at first, left-right to watch how the white mark moves back and forth in front of the engine mark-lines. If the distributor is too loose, turn the vehicle off and tighten one of the screws a little and see if the distributor has some friction when moving it. Once the distributor has the timing mark aligned with the pointer or engine mark, then tighten one of the distributor nuts (not too tight) and use timing light to recheck. If the marks don't align, then loosen the distributor and realign; tighten, then check. Turn off engine. Tighten distributor. Start engine, recheck marks and if OK, TURN OFF ENGINE. Loosen all the timing light wires and remove from engine compartment. If you do this while the engine is running, you'll have a good possibility of catching one of the wires in the engine (bad scene). CONSIDER a valve adjustment after the timing if you want. Some vehicles have one or two vacuum hoses or electrical devices disconnected while doing the timing.