Hello all, I have an 83 f-150 with a 351w and it jumped time. I thought no problem. I have set #1 TDC and aligned the rotor with the number 1 position. The timing marks are set at 0degrees on the crank and this thing still won't run at idle or with a load. I have heard that the EEC III system is dificult, but can anyone give me any ideas on how to set this thing. I am lost?
Thanks,

 

If I understand correctly, you are saying that the timing chain jumped time and you are trying to adjust the timing by rotating the distributor?

EEC-III automaticaly adjusts the distributor advance. You can't set the timing by rotating the distributor.

The distributor may be out of alignment. That's the only adjustment you can make on that distributor.

1. Set the crank on #1 cyl compression stroke, TDC.

2. Remove cap and rotor.

3. Look at the notch in the distributor shaft and the adaptor. Now turn the crankshaft until the small notch in the shaft lines up the the notch in the adapter. If the marks on the harmonic balancer are still between plus or minus 4 degrees of TDC, the distributor is in alignment.

4. If it's off by more than four degrees, turn the crankshaft back to TDC.

5. Loosen the two bolts on the sleeve the distributor shaft goes through.

6. Insert a screwdriver into the small notch in the distributor shaft and turn it to align with the notch in the adapter.

7. Tighten the bolts in the sleeve holding the shaft. Reinstall rotor and cap.

(Don't wipe the grease off the rotor or cap. It's dielectric silicon grease)

Here's a photo of the small notch in the shaft aligned the the notch in the adapter as seen through the adapter:



One other thing though. If the timing chain has jumped, I'm sure you're aware that will put your valves out of time with the pistons and it's still not going to run too well.

Scott

 

Thanks a lot Horsepuller. The timing chain is fine or it should be anyway. The distributer is what got messed up. Long story. The instructions you gave me sound like exactly what I needed. Only bad news is that I am in the Air Force and don't get a day off till Sunday so that is when I will try it all out. Thanks again for the info and I will send a message if it does the trick. Thanks for the picture. No one in my shop had ever touched the EEC III before. Bryan

 

Hey Bryan, hope that's all it needs. One other thing you should know about that distributor...

The firing order is normal 351w:
1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

The the order the wires are arranged on the cap is:
1-5-7-8-6-3-4-2

This is because the EEC-III distributor has electrodes on both sides of the rotor. So it fires alternately from both sides. So even though it's wired in a different order, if you go back and fourth from one side to the other, the firing order is the same.

Scott

 

Thanks Scott, that did the trick. I will definatly have to keep using this website. Thanks again, Bryan