Adjusting the ignition timing...., WTF? I turned the distributor all the way and its still only 5degrees Options

[king_wsk]

Today me and my friend (who drives a 92 celica GT) went to advance our timing to try and squeeze a few extra hp out of them. His timing was at 12 degrees (cause he already tried to advance it by just moving it without a timing gun) so we moved it to 14 degree with no problem. The stock setting is 10 degrees and with 91 octane fuel, 14 runs well with no pinging.

Now when we went to first check my timing.... I found it was at 0 degrees!!!!! I didn't believe it at first so I tried turning the distributor back down to -5 degrees and then advanced it as far as it would go... only 5 degrees!!!! My car only has 89 octane in it and after advancing it a bit, the engine seemed to run quieter and smoother. I did notice that more torque at 4300rpm (which usually comes at 4700rpm).

How do you get the timing to at least 10 degrees? I've heard that you can remove the distributor and then install it at an angle and then turn it to the mounting position, that should change the range of adjustment from -5 to 5 degrees, to 5 degrees to 15 degrees.

Any one ever seen this before?

Also.... What kind of gas milage do you guys see? I'm currently running at about 19mpg street and 22 highway..... i think thats kind of low.....Maybe because I'm running at 0 degree.... 10 degrees retarted!

This post has been edited by king_wsk: Jan 9, 2007 - 1:55 AM

[WannabeGT4]

Since the 5SFE is a slave style DOHC the exhaust cam is driven by the intake cam via a gear on the inside of the valve cover meaning that if the timing belt was off one tooth both the intake and exhaust would be retarded the same amount making any idle problems virtually non-existent. A lack of power and gas mileage would pretty much be your only symptoms.