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Question about setting the timing 85 cj7

11K views 17 replies 9 participants last post by  OldTexas 
#1 ·
Hello and thank you for the help.
I recently failed my smog test here in Cali for bad timing (among other things).
I am trying to find out what the correct setting is suppose to be. It seems to me that my Haynes manual skips my year, but when I do set it I must set my rpm at 1600.
I have a timing light. I do not have a tach, I thought about installing one but my current gauges only work half the time and when they work they are half wrong.
 
#3 ·
My timing light has a built in tach for that job. Tune up kits come with clip on tachs. You must have one or you will just fail again. The engine is really picky about timing.

Same for setting up things like the choke's fast idle, a tach is needed to get it right.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the info.
Do you know what the is correct setting for a 85 cj7 with the 258 and Ca emissions are?
 
#6 ·
In theory, 84-86 are all the same for emissions and computer related parts.
 
#9 ·
There is an advance plate under the distributor cap that can get seized up because folks don't know you have to oil the felt pad under the rotor every tune up. To test, remove distributor cap and see if you can hand turn the rotor. It should be under strong spring load and snap back fast.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for all the help.
I think I have the timing straightened out but I still failed my smog test:confused:. I went from barely a polluter ( I failed my NO by 12 ppm) to a gross polluter.
Smog Nazis
 
#16 ·
This is a 2009 thread, I wonder if he ever passed?
 
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