1993 Dodge Colt timing

SCOTTHULETT

MEMBER
1993 DODGE COLT
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
151,688 MILES

I just bought this dodge colt with a mitsubishi 1.5 liter motor and took it to smog. The smog guy told me that the timing was 96 degrees off. The car runs good, but has a real rough idel. I tried moving the spark plug wires one place both directions and it didn't work. I was wondering if someone had replaced the timing belt and put it together wrong would that cause the problem, and if it was what would I Look at first, the distributor orientation or do I have to pull the cover to the timing belt and check to see if the belt was put on wrong?

1 Reply

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

Well it is hard to put a belt on wrong and be that far off in timing and run. This is an interference engine to it would bend valves or do some kind of damage. So I would first set the timing marks and then look at the distributor to see if it points to number on. I am thinking that the distributor is not in correctly. So if you would just remove the front plastic cover so you can see the cam gear then use the timing mark on the crank and use the pic included to see if the timing marks are correct and then remove the distributor cap to see if the rotor points to the number one cylinder.

Timing marks