please help timing issue is the expected issue help!

[spomey]

I had cracked head on a new to me boat with a 5.7 GM motor volvo penta setup.
i marked the distributor location and when I I put the distributor back to the reset it. I set the #1 cylinder to TDC (on the power stroke), and set the timing using an old school timing light to zero. now it starts okay (ish) idles just a little rough, and it revs only to about 3000 rpm and stalls and dies or almost dies. While I had the boat on the water i moved the distributor in small increments (no tools) hoping for some improvement ( no improvements). I need to know my timing procedure.

what I have:
round old style distributor cap.
two plugs out the back of the distributor (Large and small)
one mark on the vibration damper a timing notch on the block and 5-6 timing marks I think they are on the vibration damper (clockwise from TDC) (facing the front of the motor.

I only have an old school timing light

I dont know what wire to disconnect (if any)
I dont know what RPM to set timing at
I dont know degrees to set timing at.

Please help there is so much conflicting/misinformation and terminology that i dont understand.

Please help a brother out!!!

 

[alldodge]

Is this the same 1998 5.7 Merc which was in your overheat posting?

 

[brodmann]

Idle timing should be somewhere between 4 and 8 degrees BTDC (Before Top Dead Center), with full advance at about 3,000 RPM's of about 36 degrees. First, turn the motor to Top Dead Center and make sure the rotor is pointing exactly at the #1 plug wire inside the distributor. If not, you may need to pull distributor out and move over one tooth. Once this is done, just use your timing light. This is somewhat "standard" timing for an older small block chevy, but for specific year models, HP ratings and applications, the timing varies quite a bit. I'm basing this on my '69 Malibu 350. Mine ran best with idle timing at 10 degrees BTDC, but if I advanced the timing too much at idle, it would over advance at full throttle, which is not good. I'd start at 8 degrees BTDC and then play with it a little bit to determine what works best for you, but you may need to manipulate it a bit and give up a little smoothness at idle to get better performance at the top end. Good luck!!

 

[spomey]

Is this the same 1998 5.7 Merc which was in your overheat posting?

no, i bought that 98 sea ray, the overheating was the prior owner put the check valve in backwards. this is a 99 chris craft (love it) but on one outing it started knocking, i checked and cyl 3 and 5 had no compression so i checked and the head was cracked. I marked the distributor location and reassembled but i cant seem to find my ignition system specs and how to set the timing , so at idle i set it timing at zero. it idles okay jut a very slight "stumble" but off idle its just not right and around 3000 rpm it coughs and dies or almost dies. on the water i changed the timing just by hand with not timing light in small increments with little change.
additionally the temp gage was working but now it is not, could that affect timing?
Long long ago in the 80s i remember setting timing on my truck and having to disconnect a wire to set the timing and reconnect it after. any ideas?

 

[alldodge]

ok, we need to know what your working on.
It's a 1999 GM 5.7 what? GL, GI, GXI something

 

[spomey]

ok, we need to know what your working on.
It's a 1999 GM 5.7 what? GL, GI, GXI something

sorry its a 1999 GM 5.7 GSi

 

[alldodge]

GSI could be
PBYDCE MEFI-1
PWTR MEFI-3

round old style distributor cap.
two plugs out the back of the distributor (Large and small)

EST ignition

To set timing place a jumper across the DLC connector at pins A and B to put motor in base timing mode. Then adjust timing

 

[spomey]

GSI could be
PBYDCE MEFI-1
PWTR MEFI-3


EST ignition

To set timing place a jumper across the DLC connector at pins A and B to put motor in base timing mode. Then adjust timing
View attachment 382093

I must admit i dont know what
PBYDCE MEFI-1
PWTR MEFI-3
EST ignition means or how to tell them apart

I will look for that connector but from what i remember there are two larger ones maybe I will look at those.

would you know the RPM and timing mark to use?
also the temperature gage isnt working so I will change the temp sensor if i can find it (any ideas) there is a sensor at the thermostadt housing I suspect that is it.
Thank you

 

[alldodge]

You mentioned one small and one larger connector on distributor so you have EST
https://www.amazon.com/Team-Performance-Electronic-Distributor-Applications/dp/B07XTSQDNP



Motor should be warmed up. Stop engine and connect jumper. Start motor and bring idle to 1200 RPM for MEFI-1, if you have a MEFI-3 it will bring idle up by itself. I don't have a setting for VP but Merc list set at 8* BTDC for same motor

 

[spomey]

I must admit i dont know what
PBYDCE MEFI-1
PWTR MEFI-3
EST ignition means or how to tell them apart

I will look for that connector but from what i remember there are two larger ones maybe I will look at those.

would you know the RPM and timing mark to use?
also the temperature gage isnt working so I will change the temp sensor if i can find it (any ideas) there is a sensor at the thermostadt housing I suspect that is it.
Thank you

These are the connectors that I have but I can’t find the DLC connector to jump pins A and B. I can’t seem to find anything on the Internet how to time this engine

 

[alldodge]

This is a Merc but your connector will look similar. Connector has a cap cover on it in pic that is removed to use. It ight be near the front of motor around thermostat

 

[spomey]

This is a Merc but your connector will look similar. Connector has a cap cover on it in pic that is removed to use. It ight be near the front of motor around thermostat

View attachment 383066

I found it thank you! it was tucked away and hidden! I set the timing and it ran pretty good not perfect but much better! I think my issue might be I am one tooth off on the distributor but the movement of the distributor has enough movement t o make up for it mostly, so I will double check that tomorrow and re time it! thank you for you help!

 

[spomey]

This is a Merc but your connector will look similar. Connector has a cap cover on it in pic that is removed to use. It ight be near the front of motor around thermostat

View attachment 383066

thank you for all your help, I finally got it, I had the distributor one tooth off and got it barley timed before the distributor physically ran into the fuel pump. so i moved the distributor one tooth ad reset the timing and this is when I noticed that previously I had jumped the wrong DLC pins. once I goth the correct ones it was obvious. (silly me) anyway at least in the driveway everything seems to be running good, however at slow idle I get a slight miss and the timing mark jumps around, I probably should change the cap, rotor, wires and plugs. - thank you again!

 

[spomey]

This is a Merc but your connector will look similar. Connector has a cap cover on it in pic that is removed to use. It ight be near the front of motor around thermostat

View attachment 383066

Ohh one more question, the temp gage is not working it shows full hot all the time. is there a test for the sensor? I assume its on the thermostat housing. i also have a single wire coming out of the wire harness near the carburator it has a blade (female) connector on it, I have searched high and low using mirrors and flashlights for more than an hour and I cant find anyplace that it goes. its about a foot long. any ideas?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Every wire color has a purpose. Tan wire is the temp gauge. It is most likely shorted to ground somewhere and that is why the gauge is pegged

What color is your mystery wire?

Wire color codes in the electrical forum stickies

 

[spomey]

Every wire color has a purpose. Tan wire is the temp gauge. It is most likely shorted to ground somewhere and that is why the gauge is pegged

What color is your mystery wire?

Wire color codes in the electrical forum stickies

it looks to be white with a black stripe with a female "blade" connector on the end, the connector cover has a black ring around the base like it was exposed to heat or oil/grease for a long time.

 

[alldodge]

I'm unable to find it

 

[spomey]

I'm unable to find it

I can’t find where it goes either, maybe it’s just an extra wire in the harness. I took the boat out last night and I finally got it running right thank you for your help again! I do have another problem on my old boat it’s a 98 sea ray 5.6 merc alpha one TBI, it was working great and I parked it for sale and of course I have someone come look at it and the engine will not crank. I charged the battery, and when you turn the key on the fuel pump pressure the system but nothing else. The tether is in place I checked all the fuses I could find, so I shorted the starter solenoid and it started right up, I will swap the relays ontop off the motor they are the same number if I recall correctly, on the key switch I will check for power, then move the key and check for power to accy then to start. Any other ideas? I didn’t notice thatn the throttle seems to move munch easier than it did. Not sure about that but remembering it seemed that way, also the throttle needs to be moved a long way to Shift the out drive into forwards or reverse could that do something not to get power to the starter?

 

[alldodge]

Turn key to start and hold, then with other hand move shifter slightly FWD/REV. If it cranks then is the neutral safety switch in the control

If not look for the slave relay on the motor next to the 50 amp breaker. The slave is what jumps the starter

 

[chris032188]

it looks to be white with a black stripe with a female "blade" connector on the end, the connector cover has a black ring around the base like it was exposed to heat or oil/grease for a long time.

dude i have the same mystery wire on my boat. I also have a purple one.