I have a 97 tracker. Can someone tell me where to find the correct timing steps. I have read a couple of the forms here and still cant figure it out. Do I use the jump wire first to set the timing back to 0? I should go buy the manual but I broke my leg the other day and confind to the house for a few days.

If you set the jumper wire it will hard-set your timing to 8 degrees.  I run mine 2 degrees advanced on top of that, seems to work better for my motor on the 96.  Before there was a bit of lag about 2700 RPM's.

If you set the jumper wire it will hard-set your timing to 8 degrees.  I run mine 2 degrees advanced on top of that, seems to work better for my motor on the 96.  Before there was a bit of lag about 2700 RPM's.

The jumper wire does not hard set the timing to 8*.  What it does is disable to electronic timing advance, so you can set the base timing to 8*, or 5*, or whatever degrees you want it set at.


Sean, look at the sticker under the hood.  It tells you which pins in the plug to short to lock the timing, so you can check it. 

Ah hell, I might as well just tell you.
With the tab up on the connector, the pins are labeled like this....
123
456

You short pins 4 & 5 together and that disables the electronic advance on the timing.

If you look at that underhood sticker, it should also tell you what the timing should be set at.  It probably says 5*.

It is pretty easy to set/check the timing.  Warm up engine to operating temp.  Shut off engine.  Short pins 4 & 5.  Start engine and let it idle (should be right at 800RPM).  Hook up timing light.  Shoot light at crank pulley and see where the timing is set.  To adjust it, loosen the distributor bolt and turn the distributor (you can do this with the engine running, just be careful of the spinning fan blade and belts).  Once timing is set, tighten distributor bolt and unhook everything and remove the jumper from pins 4 & 5.

Ok,thanks for the info, I have been told that the problems that I'm having sounds like my timing belt jumped a tooth on the timing gear. I am guessing I need to take the timing cover off and check that and the crank pully keyway. If I find that the timing belt did jump a tooth what does it take to get it lined up agian. Thank you for being patient with me,I'm new at this.

Ok,thanks for the info, I have been told that the problems that I'm having sounds like my timing belt jumped a tooth on the timing gear. I am guessing I need to take the timing cover off and check that and the crank pully keyway. If I find that the timing belt did jump a tooth what does it take to get it lined up agian.

Line the pulleys up, put the belt on.  Pretty simple.
I'd also check to make sure you aren't off a tooth on the distributor.

thanks,I will check this out in the next couple of days and let you Know how it works out.

The jumper wire does not hard set the timing to 8*.  What it does is disable to electronic timing advance, so you can set the base timing to 8*, or 5*, or whatever degrees you want it set at.
the jumper from pins 4 & 5.

Man, I have been off my game recently.  Yea, your right it is 5 degrees on the 97.  The 8 degree advance is for the 8 valve engine.  Your right that checking under the hood is the best path to make sure.

I do know if you have a good ODBC II scanner you can see what the computer thinks the timing should be at though. 

just went out and strarted my tracker and looked at the crank pully  it does have a wobble to it. What do you think,crank keyway needs repaired?

just went out and strarted my tracker and looked at the crank pully  it does have a wobble to it. What do you think,crank keyway needs repaired?

The pulley could just be bent a little.  I've seen it before.
If you think it might be a keyway issue, pull the pulley and timing cog off and take a look.  It will be obvious, if it is.

ok thanks, see if I can get a friend to help me out. Still not doing to well with this broken leg

Ok, finally got around to pulling my timing cover.This is what I found. There is two marks on the cam gear exhaust and intake,the exhuast mark is lined up with the mark on the back plate and the crank gear is lined up with them. Is this correct? I also noticed that there is  a washer like thing behind the crank gear that has tabs on it that look like it has wore marks in the oil pump case. Please help!!!!

with the marks lined up like the fsm says,I pulled the plug on #1 cylinder and put a 17mm socket on the cam bolt and turned back and forth and it looks to me with piston at tdc both marks are off by one tooth. looks like both cam and crank gears need to go clockwise one tooth.

Ok, finally got around to pulling my timing cover.This is what I found. There is two marks on the cam gear exhaust and intake,the exhuast mark is lined up with the mark on the back plate and the crank gear is lined up with them. Is this correct? I also noticed that there is  a washer like thing behind the crank gear that has tabs on it that look like it has wore marks in the oil pump case. Please help!!!!

The 2 marks on the cam pulley are not for intake and exhaust.  They use that pulley on multiple engines, so the "other" mark is for the other applications.  The mark you need to use is the one that has the raised dot.
The "star" plate behind the crank pulley shouldn't be rubbing on the oil pump housing.  Not sure what is going on there.

with the marks lined up like the fsm says,I pulled the plug on #1 cylinder and put a 17mm socket on the cam bolt and turned back and forth and it looks to me with piston at tdc both marks are off by one tooth. looks like both cam and crank gears need to go clockwise one tooth.

If both pulleys are "off" by 1 tooth, in the same direction, then there is nothing wrong.  They can't both be off by 1 tooth in the same direction, because of how the pulleys fit on the cam and crank (there is a cam pin and a crank key).

ok thanks for clearing that up for me. I guess my next step is to take the timing belt off and remove the crank bolt and crank pully to see if the keyway is messed up