Okay so my head cracked, got a new head under warrenty (ATK engine)
1995 f250 5.8l Engine ran "okay" before minus smoking but did run and was driveable
I have set the timing now numours times the truck trys to start but will not.

I marked the harmonic balancer at 10 BTC (checked this also 3 times) degrees as i read on bronco forums. set the rotor at about #1 on the cap. (his right up is LONG, but the basic concept is to just get it started) Point the rotor when at 10BTC about the middle of the upper intake and then set the cap on there so that number "one" is also about centered. So i drop the distributor in wire it up (rewired it 10 times now, and checked). It will almost start if i turn the distributor to the max number one ends up 1/4-1/2 turn away from original starting point - i have never had it running even enough to use a timing light. I have also set the balancer at 10 degrees, took the distruptor out and then went around 1 turn and tried again so i have turned the engine 180 - again done this idk how many times

I some reason am remembering before that there WAS 2 different firing orders. I just remember having a similar issue before and it was my firing order.

 

Are you sure #1 piston is at TDC on compression stroke when the rotor points to #1 on distributor?

 

I have set the timing. Made sure the dist is at the same point. Pulled it out turned the engine 180 degrees and reinstalled the dist. Same issue

 

What do you mean by tries to start?

If it's what I'm picturing then it sounds more like you have a lack of fuel pressure than a timing problem.

 

This sounds like you are 180 degrees out...

But you need to elaborate on this. If you are turning your distributor one turn, that is 360 degrees. Or are you turning the engine one turn so it is 180 on the distributor?

 

Didnt mean to double post............

 

I have put back on TDC took the distributor out turned the engine around till the next time my mark hits 10 degree's only that one turn then reinstalled the distrubtor back at the same orignal point

 

Okay so figured that out i was wiring it clockwise not counterclockwise.....Now my issue is i cant get it to idle
When i first start the truck it surges and idles but its 700-1000 rpm 10 seconds later it spikes up to 1300 rpm and stays there. When driving it lacks power at times, it will be floored and hardly move then suddenly takes right off. Since its a 5 speed if i drop it into neutral and coast the rpm bonces 1200-1500 rpm till i stop.
Any ideas?

 

Sounds like your timing is too far advanced.

This is general advice when I get into timing issues. Almost always solves my issue.

• Get the firing order off the manifold and write it down somewhere.
• Yank all of the plug wires off the distributor, take the cap off, and just start over
• Roll the motor over to TDC on number 1
• Take the plug out and gently put a long screw driver down into the cylinder. If you rock the crank back and forth, you can feel exactly where TDC is. Make sure you are doing this on the compression stroke. You can put your finger over the hole to feel when it rolls over to compression.
• Make a mark on the distributor to where the rotor is pointing. That's your starting point.
• Put your cap back on and twist the distributor around until one plug wire lines up with the mark you made.
• Walk the wires around the cap based on the firing order. If I'm in doubt to the rotation at this point, I'll spin the crank and see which way the rotor turns.
• You get done with all of that and its time to set the timing. Don't to forget to disable the timing advance when you do this. Can speak for your setup, but normally just a vacuum line. If in doubt, read up on the timing procedures.

Again, just general advice. Normally, I'm pretty frustrated when I get to this point and just decide to start over on all of it.

 

Missed a bit in the last post... Turn the distributor around so that one of the plug wires is at the same spot where the mark used to be. The mark will turn but not the rotor. Basically trying to the plug wire up with the rotor.