I had to remove the distributor from my 96 150 to replace the stator. I had to remove the gears to replace it. now when I put it back into the motor with the timing marks lined up at tdc on the compression stroke, the rotor does not point to the number one plug. it is slightly off to the left and the engine starts but just spits and jerks. I even tried turning the distributor with it running and it did not help at all. The only think I can think of is that I possibly put the gear back on the distributor a 180 degrees off. is this possible or is there something I'm overlooking. Before I removed the dist. the timing was perfect so I can't see it being the timing chain. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

I assume the engine is a 5.0L? Sounds like you could possibly be one tooth out on the distributor gear. Also, the SPOUT connector will have to be disconnected to set the ignition timing. Removing the distributor cannot affect the camshaft/crankshaft timing.

 

I'm on the same page as you are. the problem is that I have removed and re'aligned the dist. probably 40 times now and it will not line up. I thought the same thing about being just one tooth off, but I have turned and twisted the dang thing every way imaginable and it wont' line up, and I've done this before several times on the 302's. and never had this hap[p[en. That's why I wondered if maybe I put the gear on 180 degrees backwards. When looking at the gear there is different spacing of the gear teeth under the pin hole on each side. I marked it when I removed it, but when I put it back together the mark wore off, so I'm not sure if it's the right way. I can tell by the gap in the teeth that if I reversed the gear 180 it will definitely change the position of the rotor. will this cause any other changes i'm not aware of?

 

I pulled the gear off of the dist. and rotated it 180 degrees. brought number one to tdc and the dist. went right in pointing to the number one plug. However, I started it up and have twisted the dist. 90 degrees in both directions and the timing is still way off. pulled the spout etc. did everything you are suppose to do, and it's still jacked. I can't believe the timing went out, chain etc., because the timing was perfect before i remove the dist. There has to be something simple that I've missed. I put in new plugs, checked all the wires. All are in good shape and connected to each plug and the dist. What could it be? SOMEONE PLEASE HELP.

 

I'm not sure what's going on, let alone what might fix it. You said in your original post that the engine would start and run, but "just spits and jerks." And in your last post you said you "twisted the dist. 90 degrees in both directions and the timing is still way off."

The first thing I'm having trouble with is twisting the distributor 90 degrees in both directions. I haven't tried that on my '97, but every other engine I've adjusted timing on I couldn't turn the distributor that far, the wires would pull tight or something would hit something else.

Second (and more important), turning the distributor 90 degrees in both directions has to make a difference. There is no way it would even run if you were off 90 degrees. So if it runs at all somewhere near the center of that range it's got to be right somewhere not too far from the center.

But what it sounds like is that turning the diustributor isn't changing your timing at all. Sorry, but I can't come up with anything that would do that.

 

So, it does start and run, but is running rough? Well, assuming you reassembled the distributor correctly, it seems to me that it could be something simple that's being overlooked. Recheck the firing order, make sure the plug wires are in the correct position on the cap, timing light pickup is on wire #1. I know it sounds silly, but in my experience it's the simple slip-ups that get you...

 

I guess i should have said that I turned the dist. about 90 degrees total, and about 45 in each direction, and the timing does change, it just does not get anywhere near right. counter clockwise will shut the motor down, and clockwise gets it running just good enough to put to the gas station and back. I put new plugs in, checked the wire routing order on the cap and the plugs. I'm gonna start from the beginning and pull the number one plug to find the compression stroke, line up the rotor and go from there. I'm gonna go ahead and put the light on it and see where it's at after i start it, in the mean time if anyone thinks of anything I could be missing please let me know. I've never had this kind of trouble with a 302. The last one I did was on a crown vic and after I set the timing by ear I took it to a friends garage to have them put a light on it and dial it in, but he didn't ever have to move the dist. I had less than a degree off by ear. I know what I'm doing, but there has to be something simple I've missed, hopefully someone will read this and recognize what it is.

Thanks for the reply, if you think of anything else, please let me know