Volkswagen Golf III (1992 - 1997) - 98 2.0 GTI - ignition timing

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Tue 8 Sep 2009 20:47
98 2.0 GTI - ignition timing - Javalin
Hello all,

Trying to set the ignition timing with an advance light on this car - its a AGG engine - 8 valve. Haynes says 5-15' BTDC so I am aiming for 10'.

Thing is its like the car is fighting me or (possibly) knows better - cause however much you play with the dizzy the TDC line doesn't line up.

The mechanical (cam/crank) timing seems spot on.

I've done the same on an older ABS engine - (6') - and that worked really well.

Any thoughts? Does this car have a ECU "timing mode" perhaps? Nothing about that in Haynes or Bentleys'.

Cheers all,

James
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Tue 8 Sep 2009 21:30
98 2.0 GTI - ignition timing - elekie&a/c doctor
Changing the position of the distributor on these will not alter the ignition timing.The dizzy is used as a phase sensor (cam sensor).Infact you can disconnect the dizzy and the engine will still run.The ignition timing is mapped into the engine Ecu.The only thing that can be set up is the basic/static position of the dizzy to the tdc mark.With engine at Tdc,cyl #1 firing,remove dizzy cap and rotate it until rotor arm aligns with notch on distributor body.hth
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Tue 8 Sep 2009 21:46
98 2.0 GTI - ignition timing - Javalin
Hiya

Thanks for the quick response.

Not wanting to question - but you're sure that the no1 spark lines up to TDC? Its not what i've read so far. Whats the 5-15' deg BTDC refer to then?

James
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Tue 8 Sep 2009 22:10
98 2.0 GTI - ignition timing - davecuk
perhaps it's the ideal range 5 degrees, from 1500rpm thru to 15 degrees @ 5000 rpm as the engine advaces the ignition for higher revs?
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Tue 8 Sep 2009 22:15
98 2.0 GTI - ignition timing - elekie&a/c doctor
Not quite sure what you are trying to do,but the only real way to check ignition advance is through the live data from obd socket.hth
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Tue 8 Sep 2009 22:38
98 2.0 GTI - ignition timing - Javalin
Hiya

Just trying to set the ignition timing after (urm) trying to do it the usual way.

Will try via the ross-tech interface on ODB

James
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