Ignition Timing For 1.9 8v

[johnsimister 10]

Hi all

 

I understand that ignition timing for a 1.6 XU5JA is 30 degrees at 3000rpm or 10 degrees if you can get it to idle at a steady 900rpm, but the Haynes manual gives only a figure of 5 degrees at a 700rpm idle for the XU9JA and getting it to sit at exactly 700rpm is almost impossible. The local Peugeot agent doesn't have any more data. Does anyone know what the figure should be at an engine speed that's easier to hold in a stable fashion, such as 3000rpm? I'm assuming the 1.9's advance curve is different from a 1.6's.

 

My 1.9 runs very nicely but I sense it could have a bit more urgency. I'm wondering if the timing is retarded even though it seems about right as far as I can tell when it's drifting either side of 700rpm. Setting it at a higher speed with an advance timing light would be more accurate if only I knew the figure.

 

Thanks for any ideas.

 

John

Edited March 6, 2008 by johnsimister

[welshpug 1,657]

just advance till it pinks under load and back it off a touch, running it on VPower or similar makes a difference too

[tri_longer 25]

Bit of a hijack of the thread but with regard to pinking, what does it sound like? Is it something that is easily distinguishable from the normal sound the engine makes.

[GLPoomobile 958]

It's like a little group of fairies skipping through the forest with little tiny bells on their ankles

 

 

 

 

 

 

f***, I really shouldn't have eaten those mushrooms before fiddling with my dizzy!

[Grim.Badger 15]

Ignore the idle speed as there is little chance of getting it right/settled with 20yo electronics.

Pinking can be difficult to hear at idle, your best bet is to get the engine up to temp then carefully (as eveything will be blisteringly hot, try putting on leather gloves) loosen the studs on the dizzy and advance the ignition until the revs stop rising (about 2/3 forwards iirc on most 205s), put everything back together then take it for a drive and boot it from 30mph in 5th with the window down; if it is pinking it will be bloody obvious then, sort of like someone playing spoons in the engine bay.

Both engines I've owned have had marks on the thermostat for best ignition timing for 95ron and 97ron which gave me a basis for experimentation.

 

BTW if you have a craked manifold there isn't much chance of hearing pinking as the ticking from that will disguise it. Also 1.9 engines aren't very urgent but the best improvement I made to mine was decent quality spark plugs.

[simonb 0]

Just to add that the position of the dizzy in relation to pinking really also depends on how well the cam timing is lined up. Retarded timing will result in the dizzy travelling to the fully advanced position before pinking is heard whereas advanced cam timing will result in the dizzy having to be more retarded than usual in order to compensate as the dizzy is drivem by the camshaft.

[simonb 0]

I forgot to add that advancing to the point of pinking does not always produce the best performance. I have found that retarding further back from this point to be the best for low down torque, but then again I have advanced my cam timing by 1 tooth on purpose for more power lower down. Best advise is to play around really and you aren't going to cause any serious damage unless it's pinking for extended periods of time.

[johnsimister 10]

Thanks everyone. I'll try a bit of advance and see what happens. At the moment it never, ever pinks, although it used to before I fitted a new distributor. The old one was advancing too much, too soon, presumably because the springs had gone weak.

 

John