I've got a problem with the 69 F250 with 360 V-8, mentioned in another thread: 69 F250 basic questions, on the 67-72 F100 and Larger Forum. I pulled the plugs, replaced with BF-32s gapped at .035, replaced points and condensor, set the points to .017. Put a new, rebuilt Autolite 2100 2-brl carb on it (all basic settings at baseline). Problem is I can't get the timing nailed down. I pulled the No.1 plug, found TDC and see the rotor is pointing to the No. 8 tower on the distributor cap...the one before No. 1 tower. Noticed the plug wires are arranged to accomodate this...the tower the rotor points to goes to cyl. 1, etc....like the cap was rotated a little to the right. I can start the truck and it runs fast at idle, like at 1200 rpm or higher...my tach only goes to 1200. If I pull the vacuum line off the dist., it dies immediately. Even running with the vac line hooked up, it will run for a while, then bog/drop rpms suddenly and die. The dwell with my dwell meter is showing just under 15...I know this is wrong but the point gap is right. I re-checked the point gap and noticed some play in the dist. shaft...I can move it right and left almost 1/4 of a inch. Is that normal?
When I get it running and check the timing marks with my timing light, with timing light clamp wire on No. 1 plug wire, the timing marks are way left of the timing pointer. If I loosen the dist. hold down bolt and turn the dist. counterclockwise to match the timing mark with the pointer, it bogs down and dies and won't restart.
This thing is driving me nuts. Is my distributor off a notch to the right, so it points to tower No. 8? How do I tell if my distributor is all right and not toast? Why does it idle so fast and die with vac line off?
Need the board's help here. I have to have it inspected and driving right pretty soon...it will be my daily driver.

 

i'm afraid to say too much because it might be wrong...i'm sure one of the smart guys will chime in and be able to tell you exactly what is going on.

but for what its worth- i'd say put everything back the way it should be. pull the dizzy, realign it with the real #1, re-route the plug wires. then set the base timing, and see how it behaves.

if i had to make a *wild* guess as to what has happened-you're off a tooth (or more?), your base timing is too far retarded, and the vacuum advance is the only thing keeping your total timing within a workable range at idle. once you disconnect that, the base timing is too low and it dies.

again- that's just a guess. i think putting things back they way they're supposed to be is a good start.

 

Thanks, that makes sense. Tomorrow I'll try re-aligning the dist. to TDC on the No. 1 cylinder. Does the dizzy have to come all the way out, or just up a little?

 

Well, this sux. Tried moving the distributor today, with engine at TDC on compression stroke, and had to work like a dog to get the dist. out. Definitely not new, as said in the ad for this truck. It was hard to get out and a bear to get back in, binds going down in and won't drop the last 1/8 inch no matter how I bump the engine. Took it out and took the advance plate out and both springs are intact inside, but this thing looks toasty. Will a new dist. (rebuilt) be as hard to deal with? If so, would it be better to upgrade the ignition at this point...petronix or Mallory? Any input is appreciated...the clock is running. I have to be driving this thing soon.

 

i guess everybody's taking the weekend off from the boards...

i think you should only have to lift the dizzy up about 1" to realign it- just enough to disengage the gear on the bottom.

when you pulled it out- did the gear on the bottom look okay? if its damaged, that could be causing all the trouble getting the dizzy in/out.

beyond that, i'm about out of things to tell you- hopefully its the dizzy gear, because i think anything beyond that is serious trouble.

i wouldn't worry about the ignition upgrades yet- i'm a big fan of those, but get it running before you start sinking big $$ into it, just to make sure you're not pumping a lot of money into a hole.

 

Wrestled the beast again today, with no luck. Repulled the old distributor and restabbed it a few times and finally figured out how to walk the dist. down while getting the shaft/rotor position down pat. The old dist. would not drop all the way down, the culprit was the old, concreted O-ring. Got a new dist. at Autozone and it drops further down, but the top casting and hold down plate are still a little proud of the manifold. I can see and hear the new dist. pop into place, because I put some white engine assembly grease no the new dist. before trying again.
With the new dist. in and seated (I think), the truck turns over but never fires. I found TDC on the engine with No. 1 plug out, compression gauge in...turned the crank pulley/engine by hand and put the timing mark on the pointer. Third time for this so far, and still no luck.
I can see the oil shaft/hex down in the engine, and can center and turn it sightly with a small hex driver extension found in my toolbox.
Gonna check for spark tomorrow, just to make sure the coil, etc. is firing. If I find spark, I might just drag the truck to the neighborhood mechanic...I'm stumped.

 

The dist. cap does NOT have to have the rotor to #1 terminal, as long as the #1 plug wires start at whichever terminal the rotor points at. I haven't bothered with the #1 crap in 40 years.

First off, you have manifold vacuum going to the dist. vacuum unit, NOT right. At idle there should be NO vacuum to the dist and that's why you are having so much trouble. Vacuum should be disconnected and capped at the carb (I don't normally do this because ported vacuum is suppose to be zero at idle any how.

Find number #1 compression again and start over. Make sure the timing pointer is at 10° BTDC when you adjust the dist so the rotor points at a cap terminal. Now wire the cap with the correct firing order and start the truck. You may have to jack up the idle speed because of no vacuum advance at idle. But it was set wrong before anyway. Now check the timing with no vacuum. Now adjust the mixture screws on the carb for the highest RPM possible, now readjust the idle speed (idle stop if you prefer) for 600 to 700 RPM. Now connect the dist vacuum hose to the ported vacuum port on the carb and not the manifold vacuum where it was before. The idle speed should not change with the dist. vacuum hose on or off the carb.

 

if you don't find any spark, check your point gap on the new distributor? that got me once.

also- instead of using the timing pointer, find the compression stroke, insert a wooden dowel into the cylinder, and find the top of the stroke that way. then check your timing pointer and see if it matches. i'm not sure that could be it, but it'd be good to be sure.

 

Well the A-hole previous owner had it wired up that way and it would only run under throttle. Would not run at all in gear, only in P or N with the throttle open.
I have vacuum from the one and only carb port on the new Autolite 2100 2 brl. to the vacuum advance. Before I attempted to check/reset the timing and found an old hinky distributor, it would not run at all with the vac unplugged from the dist.
Found No. 1 compression a number of times yesterday and today. Timing mark is at 10 BTDC on the scale, matched to the pointer at TDC. Cap is wired correctly. Truck won't start. Carb is a new Autolite replacement, so I'm gonna stick with the factory settings until I can get it timed, started and running.

 

Point gap is good, new points and condensor.
When the motor is at TDC on the compression stroke, I have to turn the crank pulley to get the mark exactly on the pointer...it's just shy of the pointer. If it's not on the money, what does that mean?

 

It's the vacuum to the dist at idle and has nothing to do with the dist. FYI, I made a living as a mechanic for a long time and I know all the short cuts and it has nothing to do with the dist wiring.

 

Well, you like to argue...that's for sure. The truck is not starting. Reread my post, it doesn't matter if the vacuum is connected or not, it's not starting period.

 

Just because the points and condenser or new don't mean they are not bad.

If it started before and it doesn't now YOU screwed something up. If you want help fixing it the shut up and listen. If not then you can argue with yourself because I had all I needed from know it alls who can't fix their issues, yet tell me I don't know what I'm talking about last year.

So set the dist. so the points are open. Key on, short across the points while holding the coil wire to the cap near the manifold. Spark, no spark? No spark, do you have 12 volts at the positive terminal of the coil? If you do, is the dist. wire to the points connected to the negative terminal? If you have all this then either the wire to the points or the points is shorted to ground. If not those are good then the condenser is bad. **** this isn't rocket science, it is basic automotive.

 

if the points gap is good, and you have spark- check your firing order again. i believe the distributor rotation is counter-clockwise. if you wired it up clockwise, it won't start. (ask me how i know)

 

Rusty: I have fire and I wired the cap counterclockwise according to the firing order I found on this site and in my service manual.
Bear: With points open and key on, I have power to the coil + wire (not quite 12 volts, batt. is charging now), and spark from the coil/cap wire when shorting across the points and holding the coil wire close to manifold. Points wire is connected to coil neg post. Wire to points and points don't appear to be shorted to ground...connections are as they should be. Changed condensor and the motor turns but won't fire over.