3SGE timing/starting problems

[asimovy]

I have just swapped my old dead 3sge for a bare engine and gbox from a wrecker.

I have put a new timing belt on the engine, new spark plugs, leads, distributor rotor.

The engine is turning over correctly, but a timing light is showing the timing to be about 25 degrees after TDC.

When i got the engine the distributor was stuck in place in the end of the engine but the rotor was still being spun by the camshaft, there was marks as if someone had tried to pry it off with a screwdriver or something but it seemed to be fine other than the fact i couldn't get it off.

I figured that i had just set the timing up incorrectly but i have now reset it again and it is still roughly the same.


I haven't checked the camshaft timing marks inside the rocker cover to see if they actually line up with the oem timing marks on the cam gears and I'm suspecting this might be the issue.

Anything stupidly obvious i've missed?........

[Dale]

What mark are you lining the crank up to to find TDC? verify it with a screwdriver or something in cylinder 1 to make sure it really is at TDC

If that's all good I'd suspect the harmonic balancer is failing, giving you a false reading

[asimovy]

What exactly do you mean when you say failing? I do have another balancer i can put on.

Tried a screwdriver and looks like the crank is showing TDC correctly, also reset the timing again to make sure and still the same 20-30 degrees ATDC.

[Dale]

The metal can slip on the rubber, making the timing notch no longer accurate

[asimovy]

Tried a screwdriver and looks like the crank is showing TDC correctly, also reset the timing again to make sure and still the same 20-30 degrees ATDC.

The mark on the crank is accurate.