Can someone please tell me how to change the timing on my engine. I understand there is something called a timing gun I have to use. Where would I get one and how do I use it?

 

I got mine at walmart, most auto parts stores sell them, craftsman makes a nice one too.

The one from walmart has a clamp that goes around the spark plug wire, and 2 wires to the battery (+ and -) most engines are timed off the 1st spark plug, but not all (international's are timed off the 8th plug.)

once its all wired up, start the engine and press the button or trigger, and the light will pulse every time the spark plug fires. I doubt nissan has the marks on the block, so I dont think this can be done, but on an engine that can be serviced, there will be a line on the harmonic balancer, and some timing degree marks on the timing chain cover. you point the gun at the harmonic balancer and it will light up and show the line and you can tell where it is when the spark plug fires. Did this last night on my Jeep. I'll use it as an example. It the line was showing it was set to fire 5 degrees before top dead center of the piston (BTDC.) its supposed to be set to 10-12. to fix this I unbolted the retaining bolt from the distributor and rotated it slightly counter clockwise to advance the timing (clockwise retards it) then when the line was showing at around 12 I tighted it down, called it a day, and cracked open another can of Lonestar.

Check with a dealership to see if this can even be done. if you have a ve motor I think they have a distributorless ignition system, and you cant do it, now a VG you can, but I doubt nissan put the marks on the damper or block.

Let me know if you got any questions.

 

check my faq and under modifications on my site. Good luck. What year Maxima do you have? What model? How about a sig man.