Smoke machine works.

I'm really starting to think I should not be allowed within 59 ft of a wrench.

Went to set timing. Can't see marks in fan. Chock one wheel and turn the other with stick in # 1 to get to TDC. Confirm that flywheel Mark is at top, I can feel it by reaching around. I mark the fan with whiteout, put spark plug back in and start car. Forgot it is still in 5th but it's on stands so it just kicks out the wheel chock. But wait, now there is some kind of a whine / squeal type sound. Hard to pinpoint but I think it's from engine compartment. Thinking it is the AC belt I first tighten then remove entirely. No use. You can hear what I am talking about here. And just to rub salt in the wound, I still don't see timing mark on fan with light!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS0hHENOWPw

Feeling like every step forward results in two steps back.

Have you checked the fan area for a foreign object?

Did the cap for the timing view hole fall down in by the fan and is rubbing on the outer edge of the fan? That's something I would probably have done. If you know there is a timing mark and you aren't seeing it with the timing light there are a couple of possibilities. The first possibility is it could be so advanced that the mark isn't visible in the hole. The second thing that could be going on which is less likely is you accidentally hooked the light up to the wrong cylinder. Verify number one and then loosen the dist clamp and retard the timing a little and see if the mark comes into view.

Make sure your timing light works with a 4 cylinder engine. If not set for 4, you may not see the mark. Ask me how 8 know:)

Well, I know the cap did not fall in but perhaps something else. Guess I will pull the fan since I have to put on a new AC belt anyway. Is it OK to run without a fan for a few seconds to confirm if sound goes away?

Did not consider a 4 cyl setting on light. It is a brand new Innova digital so I'll have to check that.

Got dragged to the in laws for the weekend so won't get back to it till Monday. :-(

Update: Just looked at the Innova user guide on line. Sure enough, it does have a setting for number of cylinders.

Removing fan is a pain but hopefully that is the noise.

BeatNavy does it again.

In another post he described a long shot situation where he once place the washer between the throttle body and the plenum. We'll, can you guess what i did?

As for the demon squeal, it has vanished as mysteriously as it appeared.

Now, if I get the timing set I am pretty much done. It does go to a well respected 914 specialist next eek for eel alignment. I will have him do a QA check and any final adjustments but I think I see the light.

Thanks again to BeatNavy and all the rest of you.

Blind squirrel and all that. Glad I could help

Good luck!

Just an update since I am sure you have all been sitting by your computer waiting!

After getting it all back together I knew I needed an alignment so let it sit until I could get it into a 914 specialist. Took a while to even get an open appointment but it is there now and (I think) it will be ready to go tomorrow. I also asked them to go over the car to QA my work, give it a general health check, and address the items I was not fully confident if I had right or just did not want to deal with (timing, brake bleed, thermostat adjustment).

Spoke to them today and the good news is that most of my work appears to have held up to scrutiny. The exhaust needed tightening up and he got rid of the stainless barrel nuts. I had reinstalled the aftermarket rear sway bar link upside down. Everything else looks pretty good (so far). They should now be checking the timing and doing the wheel alignment. (Since they are siting in the trunk, I will have them install the turbo tie rod ends as well even though the front end was going to be my winter project).

Looking forward to having it back on the road.

isn't this fun?

HehHeh. Before the teener I had a 1995 MR2 turbo. I once had to replace an O2 Sensor and oh, that was all.