i need help timing my 1986 f150 it has the 302 and i get the #1 piston to tdc and the rotter button to the #1 plug wire but the crank timing mark is about 180 out.. the truck will start and idle ok but as soon as it gets worm it wants to die. how do i get the crank make rite?

 

Welcome to FTE, Anothony.

You need to be TDC on the *compression* stroke, not the exhaust.

 

i have done it about 20 times and i know for sure that the last five times have been

 

I'm thinking you must be correct that it is on the compression stroke or the engine would never run. Given that, the harmonic balancer must have slipped, which isn't too unusual. Having said that, is it exactly 180 out? If so I can't believe that it has slipped exactly 180. But, a slipped balancer is all it can be.

You can either replace the balancer, which is what you should do, or mark the true TDC and then something like 10 BTDC using measurements. But, the balancer is highly likely to slip more, and can even come off the hub so you really should replace it.