Hey all, hoped I wouldn't have to post but here I am. Back story this is my first gas truck, almost 10 years on an IDI, so somethings I know on that engine doesn't always cross over, so correct me.

97 expedition 5.4l, tore it apart for what I thought was a head gasket, turned out to be a FUBAR intake gasket... Yay.

Well put her back together, marginally confident with my timing job, say 60/40 good/bad. Well she sounds like **** on start up, she will run but sounds like massive compression (only way I can think to explain it, no sound of gears grinding or metal on metal). Closest video I found was low compression with no solution. I'll take a video and upload when I get home.

New gaskets from the intake to the heads, new plugs, good oil pressure on the idiot light and new coolant.

Question 1, if I ****ed up the timing would the truck still run? Because it will for a bit, and it'll start to sound better till either I stop it or it dies.

Question 2, I smell fuel like a decent amount which makes me think misfire. I started pulling coils and there is corrosion on the spring(?) I cleaned it up a bit without great success, no real corrosion on the actual coil blade.

Question 3, if I ****ed up the timing what would it sound like?

 

Here's the video.

Things to note exhaust is only connected on the driver's side, and even then just. Passenger is free balling it. Also it now doesn't die, and just keeps stumbling along sounding like death till I turn it off.

*******/Plno

Sorry for funny aspect ratio, I hate uploading to YouTube, and sound is muffled from being a rugged phone so mic is behind waterproofing.

I'm off to drink.

 

is that ignition spark i see behind the oil filler cap?

 

No idea, turns out they were both on the compression stroke at the same time.

Took it apart, put I back together, runs like a top.