Advancing ignition timing to 14deg BTDC iz goooood

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:13 pm

jcs86 wrote:Hmmm
I spoke to my mechanic and he said as long as the car is running fine and not pinging it should be fine.

Yeeesss... but as I said, "not ALL pinging is audible". Pre-ignition can only be picked up PROPERLY by a knock sensor.
When you hear a "marbles shaking in a can" sound, that is SERIOUSLY BAD pinging. When an engine JUST goes over the verge and reaches the point of pre-ignition, it is impossible to hear with the naked ear.

Obviously, it's up to you to keep it at 18+deg, I'm, and others, are just cautioning you.

corners · Postby **corners** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:46 pm

No problem

I will take the advice on board.

SuperMazdaKart · Postby **SuperMazdaKart** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:27 pm

Sasso wrote:Buy a socket set and then losen the nut on the CAS (get a service manual, its behind the intake side of engine) twist it clock wise looking from the back of the engine,

doesn't the leftey loosey principle apply here or is that nut a reverse thread? mine seems to be stuck, was starting to break my socket. got a spanner instead but still won't budge. strangely it was me who bolted the CAS last, was for the o-ring change...

time to try some WD-40 i spose.

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:40 pm

My mechanic did the CAS twisty whilst I looked at the timing mark, but if it's a reverse threaded bolt he would have mentioned it as a point of interest.

Give it a few sharp love taps with a hammer :mrgreen:

mid life 5 · Postby **mid life 5** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:57 pm

Advanced mine to 14 degrees yesterday and it seems to make a hell of a difference (or is it all in my head), the power seems to have improved right through the rev range. I had to give the cas bolt a bit of gentle persuasion with a rubber mallet but well worth it.

stevesports · Postby **stevesports** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:15 pm

im thinking this mod does not work for the NB8B does it?

SuperMazdaKart · Postby **SuperMazdaKart** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:30 pm

nah. NBs got knock sensors don't they. there is a different method put up on miata.net about advancing timing on NBs but they don't recommend it since there is no proof it actually does anything beneficial.

anyway, finally got my timing done. did just need a bit more force, the kind that only MX-5s drivers have :mrgreen:

& a small sacrifice of some skin on my hand. how does the timing light make it look still when it flashes?? trippy. seems to go fine with the regular 91 unleaded, now it's a bit more easier to squeal the wheels off at the l ights

. next fillup will be 95 for further trial.

the timing mark on the pulley fluctuates a little bit as well as the idle slightly. i spose maybe my sparkplugs are due. wonder how the replacement long reach NGKs i got will go?

Mr Starlet · Postby **Mr Starlet** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:25 pm

also remember to check your idle speed, it should be at 850+-50 rpm, before adjusting timing.

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:26 pm

You NA people are funny. I retarded the timing in my NB last week and got a whole lot more power.

Mr Starlet · Postby **Mr Starlet** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:50 pm

Garry wrote:You NA people are funny. I retarded the timing in my NB last week and got a whole lot more power.

I've done the timing cycle a few times to see if I can feel the difference; not sure about more overall power but definitely feels torquier down low with the timing advanced. Also remember that on the NA the timing marking increment from right to left, I know of a few NA owners who think they have advance timing but in actual fact retarded it, then tell me they get more power when they retarded timing :lol:

.

If in doubt just listen to the engine when you make CAS adjustment.

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:20 pm

No, the timing is definitely more retarded.

End User · Postby **End User** » Sat May 24, 2008 4:16 pm

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I finally got around to trying this on my NA8 today.
I managed to loosen the CAS nut and rotated the CAS counter clockwise (when looking at it from the front of the car), but it did not really rotate very much. Maybe 2mm of movement in total. The car felt the same.

I still don't get what the notches on the crank shaft pulley indicate. I can see them, and the 10 deg indicator, but the pulley rotates whilst the engine is running and seems to stop and random positions when the engine is off, so does not really tell me anything.

Where am I getting confused?

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Sat May 24, 2008 6:59 pm

End User wrote:
Where am I getting confused?

Yes... yes you are

Did you follow the instructions on the first page?

Going by your description, all you did was undo the CAS bolt and turned it? This does nothing.

The marks on the crank pulley isn't supposed to line up with the timing marks when the engine is not running and will always stop at different positions when the engine is stopped.

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Sat May 24, 2008 11:03 pm

and I'm pretty sure.....ecah one of those maks, represents 2 deg.

End User · Postby **End User** » Sun May 25, 2008 3:14 am

1red5, I figured the bolt was just what stops the CAS from rotating, so I've loosened the bolt and twisted the CAS.

Sasso, Yeah, I guess my timing has already been advanced then :evil:

I'm going to turn the CAS it back to where it used to be then. No point in risking ping if there's no more gains to be had.
Bummer. Back to square 1.

On a side note, found a cool site with some PDF's when googling how to do this mod. Dunno if this is in a FAQ somewhere or not. Looks like a whole bunch of scanned images from workshop manuals.
http://roykop.co.uk/manuals/mx5/pdf/