Well my timing is off because I did my LIM gasket fx a few months ago. At first it wouldn't start, then I got it tostart but it ran like crap. I moved the distributor a tooth andd it runs perfectly, but takes a little while to start. I talked to a mechanic and he tried to tell me it would take about $200 to fix. Then I called a chevy dealer and she said it woud run me anywhere from $80 to a few hundred to set the timing. so why is it that expensive to hook it up to a scan tool, read how far off, then set the distributor? Now I understand that $80 isn't a lot, but.I'm in high-school and get less then 50 hours a pay on a paycheck(paid bi-weekly). So anyone ever get their blazer timed and cam shaft retard set? How much did it cost you?

 

thats just how mechanics and dealerships opperate, they have overhead, bills, mechanics to pay most places charge 80-100 a hour so yeah they will charge you to hook up the little computer. kind of like i always found it funny when tire places charge you like 15 bucks to plug a tire, you can go buy a nice kit with 30 plugs for that much money.

what year is your s10? on the ones with the fixed distributor they usually throw a check engine line if put in wrong, ive done it a few times the light will come on instantly.

if its a adjustable distributor you can try just pulling out the distributor and moving it a tooth then using a timing light. i did a intake on my 90 fullsize, lined the distributor up facing the firewall, marked it, took pictures of it, put it back in the EXACT same spot and it was a tooth off, i never understand how that happens

 

Sounds like it has other issues. You need to give vehicle specifics. List codes from check engine.

 

I don't remember rhe exact codes. One for crankshaft alignment, and a left front speed sensor. 99 blazer

 

Check out the recent post about timing. Using the balancer timing marks to find TDC is not always good. The piston on # 1 should be all the way up on the compression stroke and the second timing mark on the balancer should be aligned with the timing cover mark. If this is not the case the balancer is bad and the outer ring has spun. You will need to make sure this is good before you move to dropping in the distributor.

 

Well, I was messing arouns with the scan tool and my timing is 20° off. I am at my girlfriend's and don't have time to fix it right now. Hopefully it starts right up when I get it set properly.

 

Reading timing on the scan tool tells you what the PCM is applying, that's all. If the distributor is off a tooth, the 20 degrees that the PCM is applying, is in addition to how many teeth the distributor is off. If you have a DTC for cam crank correlation, (P1345) the distributor is off at least one tooth. Each tooth is ~27 degrees.

 

Yes, p1345. So it's at least 47 degees off? I'm not entirely sure what you mean.

 

Depends which way the distributor is off: Could be +47 degrees or -7 degrees. Bottom line, the distributor is off at least one tooth. Clear the DTC's reset the distributor and start it up. If the SES light stays off, you've got it in the ball park. Camshaftt retard then needs to be checked/adjusted.

 

Thanks so much. So to be clear, I turn it one tooth one way, if the light is off then I'm on the right tooth, if not turn it the other way? Then just adjust camshaft retard?