Backfiring through the intake?

[RomanV]

So, my car appears to be backfiring out of the intake.

Which makes me think that my cam timing is..... buggered.

**However**

Since it is a VVTI engine, and the intake cam can retard well past the point that it actually does at any stage while running, is it possible that the cam is so far retarded, that it is still open when the combustion occurs?
IIRC the cam can adjust through something like 50 degrees of movement.
Which is quite a lot, enough to cause that problem?
When you turn the engine over by hand, the cam retards itself against the tension of the valve springs, to the point of being fully retarded.
(saw this occuring, when turning engine over with the rocker cover off)

Perhaps my VVTI solenoid isnt working properly.
However it is hard to tell, because my diagnostics terminal still wont work.

Since it looks like I'll have to drop the engine to some extent to even get the cam cover off, it would be nice to be able to check other avenues before I get carried away.

[Akane]

I've seen an EVO who had the wrong cam timings (instead of the notches on the wheels pointing upwards like things usually are, they actually need to point to each other inwards), and there were smoke and bit of flames coming out of the intake..... was rofl

So check that.

[RomanV]

Yep, a mate of mine who used to be a mechanic said the same thing,

Notches on cam wheels pointing towards each other, rather than 'up'.

Unfortunately, have to drop the motor back out to realistically change it however. Will have a look tomorrow however.

The cam wheel cover is HARD up against teh supsension strut tower, no chance of getting the cover off to check it without dropping it down a bit.

[MikeMan]

Yep, a mate of mine who used to be a mechanic said the same thing,

Notches on cam wheels pointing towards each other, rather than 'up'.

Unfortunately, have to drop the motor back out to realistically change it however. Will have a look tomorrow however.

The cam wheel cover is HARD up against teh supsension strut tower, no chance of getting the cover off to check it without dropping it down a bit.

After all the effort we went to getting in there in the first place

So have you got the electrical problems licked?

[Grrrrrrr!]

Does it have a dizzy? you haven't installed the dizzy or rotor cap 180 degrees out have you?

Or put the leads on the wrong plugs?
(really obvious but sometimes overlooked)

[RomanV]

After all the effort we went to getting in there in the first place

So have you got the electrical problems licked?

Unfortunately so.

Electrical problems appear to be sorted now, it looks as though I had it 99% right in the first place.

And this engine is distributorless, so that isnt a possibility.