here is my problem. i don't know how to time my 300/4.9L I6 and i keep getting different answers on how to do so. my haynes picture books says i have to find a wire that i can't find and un-clip it to kick the computer into timing mode.

another post said there should be a sticker that tells you how to time the motor. ohhhh ya that is not there either.

The reason i have to time the motor is i have just finished rebuilding my 300. its bored .030 over, has a port polish job on the head, and a stage one rv cam and i got a free molly piston ring upgrade. i know that i have ODB2 so does that mean i have to have the reader to do the timing?
any help would be great

 

there was something i noticed last night while playing around with the spare distributors
last night. i have one from a 351 w and another for the 300.

now the one for the 351 when engaged into the cam you can turn the rotor back and its on some springs so it springs back. and that is because it has a vacuum advance.

but the 300's distributor seams like the shaft is solid and it appears that there is no way for the computer to advance the timing.

 

The ignition is completely controlled by the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) on your 1996 4.9L engine. There is no vacuum advance mechanism in the distributor. On a OBD-I equipped truck the SPOUT (Spark Out) connector is located near the Ignition Control Module (ICM) on the driver side fender. You need to pull that connector to remove the ability for the computer to control the timing. Set the base timing, then re-install that plug.

I am not 100% sure if that SPOUT connector is located in the same spot on your OBD-II equipped truck.

For reference here is a photo from subford of the SPOUT on a OBD-I equipped truck:

 

No the vacuum advance has nothing to do with that. That is from the centrifugal advance in the distributor. That distributor is from a DS-II ignition system or a points system.

The SPOUT shorting bar is located as in the photo above for both the 4.9L & the V-8 engines in 1996.

If you would post the calibration number off the drivers door post I will post your missing sticker that tells you how to time the motor.

 

so just to make sure i do it right what is the base timing? because i keep finding 2 numbers 10* and 0*

 

right now it's at 10* btdc and it sounded really good when i got it to 10* and it starts really nicely.

 

Base ignition timing is set at 10° ± 2° BTDC.

 

thanks for all of your help motor runs like a top now i'll add some pics when a get a moment

 

please do post pics many of them ive been thinking of doing this to the ol 94 300 and post some mpg results

 

well there it is mid swap there are more pics in my album

 

I want that motor.

 

lol i do have another block but i don't have another head. the original head cracked at the number 2 piston. the crack was 3 1/2'' long.

the head cost me $750 and i supplied one,
bore was $28.50
$200 for decking both the head and block
$40 for a hot dip and 2 other cleaning stages
$8 per cyl to swap on the new pistons
$475 is the total for the complete rebuild kit form Grumpys Performance Center on ebay free molly rings and a $75 upgrade to the stage one RV cam.
another $60 worth of kerosene for my 45,000 btu heater in my uninsulated garage. as i do live in canada

 

i know this is but
now that i have done all of this to the motor is there a way to tune the 96 ODB2 computer or am i better off getting the DS2 and 4bbl carb conversion?

because i have noticed no power gain at all. now that being said i still have not retrieved the codes from the computer yet. so there may be a chance i'm in limp mode. just a few thoughts i'd throw out there.