the balancer being off would affect you when you time it but from what you have said the timings been set just about limit to limit. if your balancer is off then when you manually set the engine to TDC then is should show off on the dampener not always but usually when their bad they are off. but if its still the same you can turn the distributor and still not be able to make the engine run right. if that was your issue you should be able to turn the distributor one way or another and make the engine run better regardless of what your timing says it is or should be with the spout out.

 

So the balancer has to be junk I decided to check the timing again and with the spout in or out I couldnt see the numbers and as I tried to adjust it all it wanted to do was die. And I also drove it today and it would ping under a load like when it kicks down out of over drive but I put 10 gallons of regular in and some lucas injector cleaner but I think the balancer could have been the culprit this whole time cause I can mess with the timing and make it run good at an idle and not ping or pop but then it does it under a load? I think after $500 or so in ignition parts im gonna do the harmonic balancer and have the cats taken out and see if that fixes it if not im calling it quits and it can sit another 10 years

 

best of luck to you.

 

Thanks ill let you know how it turns out ill have the balancer tomorrow and the cats taken out today

 

So I thought the balancer was junk but my timing light was set off on the degree dial on the back im stumped so im taking it in to a guy that used to work for ford now I cant make it run good adjusting the timing with or without the spout and im gonna just order on off road y pipe cat delete from jegs or maybe find a vendor on here to get rid of those also I know everyone like fuel injection but is there anyway to run an e4od with a carb? Im about to that point where I go back to the old school stuff I know its a hard swap and costly but run a decent cam no smog pump and still have ac and not to mention to be able to do more with head work and carb intake combos ugh cant a guy dream lol

 

Well gapped the plugs and made sure firing order was right and set the timing again and nothing helped im throwing in the towel and taking it in I even made sure it was on tdc and distributor wasnt a tooth off and everything was good but it still popp's out the intake and bogs out

 

sorry we couldn't get you back on the road but just hard trying to diagnose this with out being their sounds like maybe you don't have an ignition issue maybe but hope your mechanic can get her going good for you. if you can let us know how it turns out. this is just me but I think it would be easier to fix the fuel injection I used to think that way but their was a time and a place for the carburetor and its not on these trucks.

 

Oh thanks for the help I have an old 69 f100 shortbed with a 351c and 4 speed I like the way those old trucks feel when u drive them so simple and mechanical and cant beat the smell of gas from the fuel tank behind the seat. But im wondering if this might be more mechanical like a valve train issue and I will be sure to let u guys know how it goes to many threads get started and u never hear how they ended or what the fix was. But a good running 429/460 5 speed with 3/4 ton axles would be cool

 

What do you guys think about it maybe jumped timing u wouldnt be able to tell unless I pull the valve covers u think I should pull the upper intake and valve covers to see if thats the deal or could I do a leak down test and will that show anything?

 

you could probably get away with setting the engine on tdc compression and take your distributor cap off and see were its at pointing if its off any then you have a mechanical issue with most likely the distributor cam chain or gears I would think the chain would have just broke before it would jump or it would not still be running. but the problem comes and goes doesn't it and you had good vacuum readings with no fluctuation of the needle on the gauge.

 

I changed the distributor so its already set right what about dirty injectors can I get them cleaned truck sat for 10 years or maybe a vacuum leak I just hate to pay for diagnosis I can do myself

 

you can do an injector flow test or leak test hook up a fuel pressure gauge build system pressure up with gauge on and fire each injector one by one and see if up much pressure is lost compare them to each other and to ford specification. this is not a good idea but it works take something that will burn in a spray can and carefully as best you can shoot some in the intake and see if the engine smooth's out or runs worse if its running that bad it may show something. then you could try leaning the engine out. has its condition changed still hard cold starter and idle any more come go problems. so said the truck ran when you replaced the PCM right.

 

It does start when cold now with the timing set right and I can spray starting fluid in the intake and it makes it run worse is there anyway it can be a valve train issue but it runs fine at an idle when timing is set right but above 1000 crappy bogs pops out the intake im gonna unbolt the exhaust tomorrow and see if the cats are plugged?

 

Well I decided to take it in and it didnt want to go it barely started then didnt want to run took a quarter tank to go about 15 miles then would ping anytime I gave it gas ill let you know the diagnosis I also had to used starting fluid to get it fired up this time

 

Well I just got a call from the mechanic he said its all done and the problem was a weak coil kinda makes sense I guess what do you guys think?