93 GQ wagon, RB30, extractors, 2 inch tough dog lift, 5 spd, A/T KO2 32's, steel winch bar, rated recovery points, red arc dual battery set up, rhino roof racks, UHF etc etc. Slow and steady might not win the race but it gets me there eventually...
Easy to check the advance. Just pop the vac hose off and listen for the change in revs. If no change, block the carby side of the hose with your finger, the engine will run smoother. That means the diaphragm is split or holed.
My advice is: not to follow my advice.
dom14 (2nd May 2017)
93 GQ wagon, RB30, extractors, 2 inch tough dog lift, 5 spd, A/T KO2 32's, steel winch bar, rated recovery points, red arc dual battery set up, rhino roof racks, UHF etc etc. Slow and steady might not win the race but it gets me there eventually...
mudnut (1st May 2017)
Well I dropped past the auto shop yesterday and picked up a new timing light that actually works, unlike my old one, so have had a bit of a tinker.
First of all, I tried taking off the vacuum hose, no change in revs. Blocked the vac advance and no change in the way the engine ran. So now I have my new light, I checked the timing and found it was actually at about 20 degrees advanced, so I adjusted that back to bang on 15 degrees with the vacuum advance hose connected. I then checked the timing with revving to around 2500-3000rpm, the timing moved smoothly up to around 30 degrees or so, just past the last timing mark, and then back to 15 degrees once the revs dropped back.
The engine runs better for sure and also starts more easily with the timing back to 15 degrees.
Based on the above, I figure the vac advance is functioning correctly, does that sound right?
93 GQ wagon, RB30, extractors, 2 inch tough dog lift, 5 spd, A/T KO2 32's, steel winch bar, rated recovery points, red arc dual battery set up, rhino roof racks, UHF etc etc. Slow and steady might not win the race but it gets me there eventually...
mudnut (12th May 2017)
Are you running gas or PULP? I don't have the manual in front of me, is factory timing 5 degrees? Can't remember what I've set mine at haha.
I only ever run 98 octane unless I'm somewhere that only has normal unleaded. (In which case it will ping a bit)... Mine has never been gas converted, I've had 2 cars on gas, 1 converted and 1 factory. The factory one wasn't bad, but the converted one had some issues, plus I run my 147 litre tank and aim to install another 70 odd litre aux tank soon for more range (yeah I know, old petrol 4wd so no range really, LOL), so gas isn't on my list of mods.
My manual says the factory timing is 5 degrees or so without the vac advance pipe attached, and 15 with it attached, which is what I was referring to with the timing settings above.
93 GQ wagon, RB30, extractors, 2 inch tough dog lift, 5 spd, A/T KO2 32's, steel winch bar, rated recovery points, red arc dual battery set up, rhino roof racks, UHF etc etc. Slow and steady might not win the race but it gets me there eventually...
FUEL TANK BREATHER
Doh! How silly am I. Have had problems with the fuel tank having a vacuum created as the fuel is used. Put it in the too hard basket for a while. I read recently that a vacuum created in a fuel tank is not a good thing, as it flexes the tank in a way it is not designed for. This can cause it to crack. Got off my lazy bum to have a look at it today and I found that the breather for a '94 is in the fuel cap.
I did the test as set out in the FE section of the workshop manual (EF & EC page 44). It says to check that the operation of the vacuum relief valve, which is in the cap. To test: suck on the cap and there should be a click, or valve noise. It also says that if it is blocked, to replace it
I found that it was blocked, so being a tight wad, just whacked the shop vac on the cap and turned it on.
Amazingly it worked and now the valve acts as it should, and lets air in and none out.
Last edited by mudnut; 21st August 2017 at 08:22 PM.
My advice is: not to follow my advice.
dom14 (12th November 2017)
Some rather sad news for my RB30. The small plate, or washer behind the timing sprocket on the crank has stripped out and is eating into the crank. The only fix is a new crank, but probably cheaper to get a whole engine. This is just a mongrel thing that the mechanic who changed out the timing belt has caused about 30,000ks ago. It is such a shame as the motor is running as sweet as.
My advice is: not to follow my advice.
dom14 (12th November 2017)
@mudnut
Craig, I'm not 100% sure about this, but can you please post a close up picture of that scoring on the crank?
What exactly is the problem with that scoring? Oil seal failure?
If that's the case, you may be able to sleeve it and use it as normal thereafter.
Changing the engine or the crank sounds bit too drastic from my end, but I'm not standing right in front of your engine looking straight at it, so you would know how bad it is, better.
RB30, some 2-3 inch lift auxiliary LPG tanks
Few more mods on the way
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tiger
https://www.panthera.org/
Cheetah Outreach
The other things that puzzles me is that how a mechanic get something like that wrong. There are two plates. One goes behind the crank gear and the other in front. They both have keys, and have to go through the key on the crankshaft end and then you can turn them either way, which wouldn't matter afaict. How it ate into the crank is something that puzzles me, unless the mechanic is a totally hopeless fella who chose the wrong trade.
RB30, some 2-3 inch lift auxiliary LPG tanks
Few more mods on the way
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tiger
https://www.panthera.org/
Cheetah Outreach