1997 2WD XE - Rebuilding Dads Truck PII

[89'HBV6]

Thanks for the update... sux's gitting sick. Glad you got thru it...

[Project510]

Spent a small amount of time on the truck.

- Replaced the grill
- Replaced Front turn signal lights
- Installed front sway bar bushings

I took a 2nd try and getting the timing right by reinstalling the oil pump. I was confident that I had it correct. Engine at TDC, distributor rotor point to number 1 cyl timing marks correct on harmonic balancer. Even lined up the marks on the gear in the oil pump. But now the truck doesn't start.

Felt like the battery was dead, which makes sense because it has been sitting a while. I threw on the jumper pack but the truck just barely turns over and wont start. Its possible the battery is too dead to jump. I tested it and got 11.7 volts with nothing on. So it very well could be bad.

Im thinking I should just take it to a shop. I could also have them do the ball joints and control arm bushings at the same time. Then at the very least I could drive and enjoy it.

[jp2code]

Originally Posted by Project510

I threw on the jumper pack but the truck just barely turns over and wont start. Its possible the battery is too dead to jump. I tested it and got 11.7 volts with nothing on. So it very well could be bad.

Remember to put Red on the Positive Terminal (+) and Black on a solid piece on the engine (hoist clip or a big bolt). Otherwise, your battery pack is trying to recharge the vehicle battery.

[Project510]

Originally Posted by jp2code

Remember to put Red on the Positive Terminal (+) and Black on a solid piece on the engine (hoist clip or a big bolt). Otherwise, your battery pack is trying to recharge the vehicle battery.

Ill give this a try.

[tannerg1223]

Any update on the Hardbody? I recently finished up a timing job on my friend's 93 D21 and had issues with aligning the oil pump shaft myself.

Pounding Rox has an excellent video out there walking through the correct orientation for the oil pump shaft. What I found easy was to have the dizzy installed, have a partner hold the rotor button at the cyl 1 point, and install the oil pump while having your partner slowly rotating the button back and forth. eventually (if you did it right, the button should be pointing slightly past the cyl 1 mark. (stock ign timing is -10 btdc so if your engine is set to tdc, the button will be slightly past the mark)

[Project510]

Originally Posted by tannerg1223

Any update on the Hardbody? I recently finished up a timing job on my friend's 93 D21 and had issues with aligning the oil pump shaft myself.

Pounding Rox has an excellent video out there walking through the correct orientation for the oil pump shaft. What I found easy was to have the dizzy installed, have a partner hold the rotor button at the cyl 1 point, and install the oil pump while having your partner slowly rotating the button back and forth. eventually (if you did it right, the button should be pointing slightly past the cyl 1 mark. (stock ign timing is -10 btdc so if your engine is set to tdc, the button will be slightly past the mark)

I just watched a youtube video of someone using magnets to hold it in place. This could be my issue. I did check that it was pointed correctly, but installed the oil pump alone so it could have moved. Ill Get some help, or try the magnet trick if it needs it.

was I incorrect in setting the car to TDC am I supposed to set to -10? Haynes manual said this year cannot be timed with a light and rotating distributor if I recall correclty.

[tannerg1223]

Originally Posted by Project510

I just watched a youtube video of someone using magnets to hold it in place. This could be my issue. I did check that it was pointed correctly, but installed the oil pump alone so it could have moved. Ill Get some help, or try the magnet trick if it needs it.

was I incorrect in setting the car to TDC am I supposed to set to -10? Haynes manual said this year cannot be timed with a light and rotating distributor if I recall correclty.

Your base timing should be set with cyl 1 tdc, with the keyway on the cam and crank facing straight up. to verify that you are on combustion stroke, you can watch for the intake valves closing. Im referring to ignition timing. when ignition timing is set, you clock the distributer with a timing light when the engine is warm and the TPS disconnected. factory spec is 8-12BTDC on the ignition timing.

If you're worried about your base timing, set the engine to tdc, and rotate it over a few times. if you installed the timing chain correctly, both the crank and cam keyways will still be facing straight up

[tannerg1223]

On the topic of the oil pump, it can be a huge PITA.
Some things to consider-

-Do not use RTV to seal the pump. nothing wrong with it, but if you're priming, installing and trying to make sure you have it aligned with correctly, it gets messy installing and removing it over and over again.
Id recommend Felpro Part No. FPG 72436
makes life easier and cleaner XD

-There are marks on the oil pump and oil pump shaft themselves, if you make sure that those marks stay lined up while installing the pump, it makes your job much easier as long as you have a steady hand when installing.

-Lastly if you don't have a timing light, get one. You don't need a fancy one, just the cheapo $20 one at any autoparts store. This it to set/verify ignition timing and really check if your sparkelators are producing at the correct time. The notches on the crank pully (from left to right) are:
+5 0 -5 -10 -15

Let us know if you need anything else!

[Project510]

Originally Posted by tannerg1223

On the topic of the oil pump, it can be a huge PITA.
Some things to consider-

-Do not use RTV to seal the pump. nothing wrong with it, but if you're priming, installing and trying to make sure you have it aligned with correctly, it gets messy installing and removing it over and over again.
Id recommend Felpro Part No. FPG 72436
makes life easier and cleaner XD

-There are marks on the oil pump and oil pump shaft themselves, if you make sure that those marks stay lined up while installing the pump, it makes your job much easier as long as you have a steady hand when installing.

-Lastly if you don't have a timing light, get one. You don't need a fancy one, just the cheapo $20 one at any autoparts store. This it to set/verify ignition timing and really check if your sparkelators are producing at the correct time. The notches on the crank pully (from left to right) are:
+5 0 -5 -10 -15

Let us know if you need anything else!

Ok maybe that's my problem, I did purchase a timing light but I read somewhere that you cant use the light to time this model truck. Clearly that is wrong. I did use the gasket instead of RTV, and also used a paint pen to help keep those marks on the oil pump shaft in line. Thank you for all the tips.

Ill get her started this weekend and time it correctly, maybe the rough running is from being left on the base timing and not adjsuted to the -10

Also, when I installed the new chain I did rotate it several times and the keyway and chain are dead on.

Thanks!

[jp2code]

Originally Posted by Project510

Ill get her started this weekend and time it correctly, maybe the rough running is from being left on the base timing and not adjsuted to the -10

Here is a little 5-minute video to give you an idea of how to do that.



This is for a 240z, but otherwise it's the same engine.