unable to time?? HELP!!
 

ok, just want to say, i've timed my miata before, but this time, when i'm trying to time it, the notch on the pulley is pretty far away from the timing degrees. i've turned the cas all the way both ways and its still no where near the times. suggestions?

What year is your car?

I think it might be a 92? by looking his name maybe...

are you sure you dont have one of those knobs on the end of the timing light that fucks up your reading (thats all I can figure you would use that for) Mine had me timing by ear for quite awhile

u can pull the plug from cylinder 1 and bump the engine until the piston is at TDC and the mark the pulley. I had to do this

How has the car been running?
If there's nothing wrong with the way it's running, then I would think there's something wrong with the way you're checking the timing.

#1: Start engine.
#2: Jump 10-GND in the diagnostics box.
#3: Set idle to 850rpm via idle adjust screw.
#4: Connect Inductive timing light, Ground/12vlt/#1plugwire
#5: Aim light at pulley, pull trigger.
#6: Loosen CAS bolt and rotate until timing mark is in correct place.
#7: Tighten CAS bolt, disconnect Timing Light, remove 10-GND jumper... done.

Double-Check that you're actually jumping 10-GND and haven't put your paper clip in the wrong port.

Loose crank nose bolt maybe?

its 1 of 2 things.
1: crank cancer
2: you are looking at the wrong mark (i have done that before)

try to test on other plugs too. you might have the wires switched.

yes its a 92, i did timing the exact same way last time and followed the listed steps by samnavy (found them on miata.net garage), maked the notch with some red fingernail pollish to help point it out (unfortunately didn't point anywhere near the markers). i originally did the retard when i put in the greddy kit, but now i'm trying to use my emanage so i want to put it back to about 10 degrees. for today, i played with by ear and think i heard pinging about 6000 wot.

wait...what the hell is crank cancer? is it contagious!?

Just dawned on me, if, i'm not sure if it is, but if the rpm was higher or lower than 850, would that mess with the position of the notch?

Is your timing map on the Emanage zeroed out?

the emb was all zero timing when i first started to time the car, but when i couldn't time it properly, i tried doing the 'by the ear' timing method, so i uploaded a timing map to try to play it somewhat safe. my main fear of the timing problem is that when i test drove it, it seems to lose all pull at 5k rpm, but still shows 8 psi, so before i start playing with more fuel i want to make sure my timing is ok. also, being my first time to play with the emanage doesn't make it easier at all.