All I'm looking for a little help. I have just installed a new ATI super damper http://flyinmiata.com/index.php?deptid=4530&parentid=0&stocknumber=04-95570%20%201994-95. To do so I have had to have an EM trigger wheel machined to fit the damper and fabricate a new sensor mount. The sensor mount had to be adjusted from where we wanted it as the position originally planned narrowly interfered with the water pump belt. It is therefore not aligned with the trailing edge of the the 11th tooth, but the 8th (roughly). I expected to be able to easily allow for this within the wintec4 software by changing the tooth number in the TDC setup but it will only allow for numbers greater than 11, 11-28 to be precise. Adjusting the mechanical advance (next option down) appears to have no affect, other than changing the values displayed by the wintec4 software.

A timing light shows advance to be 4 deg when it should be 18 deg as set in my advance table.

So what should I do? I can alter every advance value in my ignition table - but that's not ideal as it leaves me having to mentally subtract 14 degrees from every number I see.

Why does the software not allow for alignment on teeth less than 11???

There are technical reasons for not allowing the TDC tooth to be set lower than 11. Here's what you do:

Enter -14 in your mechanical advance box (no, it doesn't affect the timing, it is there so you don't have to mentally subtract or add anything when you have mechanical timing adjustment). Then go to your timing table (and the initial advance) and change the values to what you want. The simplest way to change the table is of course to highlight the whole thing and press the '>' key 14 times.

Hi Jon,

Thanks for this - I've already used the > option to globally advance the ignition map. I obviously did not understand the mechanical offset value, in the past (other ECUs) this has meant a global adjustment to allow for mechanical offset.

Hopefully I can get the car started and running properly now.

BTW I think the TECgt manual also suggests that tooth offsets less than 11 are possible....

Timing sorted and verified. Engine running normally.

BTW the initial advance value appears not to be affected by the value entered in mechanical advance. I have entered -16 in mechanical advance to get my map values back to normal - yet the initial advance now reads 2 rather than the 18 that I had it set at previously (and, I suspect, it is now).

I spoke too soon, I have an idle problem and I need some help. The story so far:
Installed ATI superdamper - mag sensor ended up aligned roughly with the 8th tooth. Car idled crap, with rpm very low.
I advanced timing 16 degs by using the > key to globally advance the map, then entered -16 in the mechanical advance to bring the map values back.
Checked timing was 18 deg BTDC at idle using timing light.
Wintec4 virtual dash shows the retarded timing value, as does the initial advance (rather than the mechanical advance corrected value).

I now have a high idle. I know the idle control motor is working (I can hear it buzzing), but even with wintec4 having wound it back to '0' I still idle at 1450rpm, sometimes getting stuck at 2100rpm, before it falls back. previously I idled near 950rpm. I have managed to lower idle to 1150rpm by turning the by-pass screw fully in but it will not go lower.

So all this suggest to me that I have a timing issue? Jon, or anyone, any thoughts? Desperately need the car drivable and am concerned that if it is a timing issue (too much advance) then it could lead to bad things at higher maps. It is also not fun to drive.....

BTW I've checked for air leaks - I can find none, and we were not working in an area where we would be likely to cause one.

To idle at 1450rpm, the engine has to be getting air from somewhere. Timing alone wont do it. Also, now that your on the 8th tooth, the minimum timing you can run is 18°. If you need less, the trigger wheel will need to get aligned properly. Let us know what you end up finding, the TEC sounds like its doing what it should.

Uwe,

Thanks for taking the time to chime in. Can you elaborate on the minimum timing of 18 deg on the 8th tooth? I can see how this may be the case on the map without the -18 mechanical timing adjustment, but once that is done my advance value of 28 deg (i.e after adding on 18 deg to the whole map), is still 10 deg in reality and displayed on the map? The tooth is just a reference point in relation to TDC No.1 that could be anything as long as the TEC knows where it is. Yes? Is that not what I have done by adding 18 deg advance - allow for the offset? To get that ATI off I would need to order up the ATI specific puller from ATI and that is something I'd like to avoid for the minute.

As to additional air - it has to be one or the other, but I can not begin to think where it is getting it from, I've checked all the vacuum hoses and we weren't working near that area.

Back to continue trying to work out what has happened.

Any other ideas gratefully received!

EDIT: Well after a little bit of boost the idle suddenly dropped at the next junction (damn nearly stalled). It *may* have been a bit of dirt on the throttle plate? I'll take it apart tomorrow and give it a clean. Hopefully that'll be the last of it - there are a couple of things that are beginning to irritate me with the engine right now, both are noises that I just can't eradicate and I am running out of parts to swap out (other than the engine...).

For those interested I'll get some pictures of the ATI trigger wheel and sensor mount install up only website over the next day or two.