That was quite a title, but I wanted to try and explain all of the problem.

1989 460 - I have the issue where when the SPOUT is pulled the engine dies immediately and will not restart until it's reconnected. Recently, the truck was dying after 5 miles of driving so I took it to the electrical shop in town because I know the owner. He ended up replacing the pickup module in the distributor and the ignition control module. While he had it he said he adjusted the timing by ear because he couldn't pull the SPOUT.

Now the truck drives without dying but it's running rough.

#1. It idles rough, like a real slight stumble almost like it's running out of gas. I filled it just to make sure that wasn't the problem and it's still stumbling.

#2. If you run the truck through its paces it bucks as you pass 3,000rpm and runs rough from there on up. Runs pretty smooth from 1,000-3,000rpm though.

#3. If I take a sharp turn slowly and put it in third instead of slowing down enough to get second (so the engine needs to lug a little to pull the higher gear) it bucks and stutters until you accelerate out of lugging and get back to maintaining rpm above 1,000-1,200.

What happens when you adjust the timing with the SPOUT in, does the computer fight it? Do these symptoms sound like bad timing to you?

TIA,
Joe

 

I think you have a bad computer.
I have heard this one before and the guy said that a new computer fixed it for him.
I know it does not sound right but that is what he said.

 

I had this problem until I replaced the aftermarket ignition module with a Motorcraft module.

 

Should probably check the mechanical timing of the engine. If the timing is too far retarded the computer is advancing it enough to run, when you pull the spout the computer can no longer advance it and it dies.

If you don't feel like checking the mechanical timing of the engine, you could just pull the spout, loosen the distributor and turn it slowly while cranking the engine and when it gets close enough it will start.

Actually checking the timing would be better since someone may have removed the distributor in the past and not put it back correctly, or the engine may have jumped time, or the harmonic dampner may have slipped and the engine timed incorrectly since the mark would have moved.

Not to say a computer or bad module couldn't cause the issue, but checking the timing is free and you would want to do it before buying any more parts, or at least I would.

 

I have read that on here before also. I told him that so he brought in a computer he had at home for the same truck. Only thing is his truck does the same thing when you pull the spout so... inconclusive?

Interesting, what brand module did you buy at first?

I wrote this thread after I had only driven it a couple of times. I can now say that it bucks occasionally without rhyme or reason maybe once every 2-3 miles. It still consistently bucks at 3,000rpm and runs bad from there up.

EDIT: One more thing. This truck has always started a little slowly but now it has to crank another half a second or so longer than it did before???

 

Subscribed. Seems you and I have some similar problems. I have a 90 w/ a 5.8l and it does not like to go past 3k RPM's at all. Idles rough unless the A/C's on and even then it surges. Sometimes it wants to stall when starting from a stop.
I just did a six litre tune and we're working out some issues as it still does not run smooth. We'll be back at it Monday night and will share what we find out if you haven't solved it by then.

 

Sounds like the same problem to me.

Well, my truck is sitting in a parking lot right now because it won't start at all. I drove it a couple of places today and it acted just like i've described in the above posts. It was bucking worse today but I credited the cold temps for that initially.

So now it cranks strong but just won't catch at all. I suspect the ignition control module but I will take it back to the electrical shop. I don't want to buy two of them in a week, I want the one I bought already replaced with a Motorcraft unit. We'll see...

 

Do You even know what the spout does ???

It set the base timing MECHANICALLY, when spout is in the computer takes over.

So worn chain, wrong base timing could be a issue.


Fact on Mustangs for years..........................

 

Yes, I know what a spout connector does.

It adds resistance in the signal wire from the EEC to the TFI module on the distributor. The signal wire allows the EEC to advance the timing of the distributor. Without the spout connector in place the EEC cannot control the timing, thus you are able to set the initial base timing.

The spout connector itself has never set the timing on any vehicle, Fact on every car ever made............

Thanks, I guess, for your condescending response?!?

 

Well, so far mine was a vacuum leak problem. My truck is speed density and there's some stupid sensor that "T's" into two vacuum lines running from the canister and the manifold. We messed around with that and it seemed to run smoother. We set the timing at 13* and so far it's running okay. I think I'm going to have to replace all of the vacuum lines as the plastic ones break just by looking at them angrily. Good luck to you.

 

So U have no clue. Thanks for your stupid responce............

any real shop could fix this, IF not U !

 

It sounds to me, because it's so sporadic, that it might not be timing. It sounds like you're not getting fuel. After you pass 3000 rpms it studders, so perhaps thats the limit of fuel that you are getting. A lack of fuel would explain a rough idle and hard start too. Perhaps the fuel filter is plugged?
Another thought, having to do with timing, would be that it sounds like the timing is too far one way. If it is idling terribly, and won't keep power low, it sounds like it's too far advanced. If you want to try something, add some kind of octane booster to the fuel. Premium (91 octane or so) fuel will usually allow you to advance the timing a little more, whereas using 87 octane will not suffice. If the timing is too far advanced, that should fix it and you will know what to adjust.

 

Hmmn, I would not have suspected vacuum. I will look into that.

I don't think it's timing either. I don't see how bad timing would get progressively worse until the truck wouldn't start, especially since the location of it is marked so if the distributor moved i'd see.

It's still at the shop, they were trying a donor distributor this morning, I haven't heard how that ended up yet.

 

Ill agree you guys are shooting in the dark. You might save some money if you take it to someone that knows a little about what their doing.

It might just be a fuel filter. Or hose?