Hey everyone, I think to get some second third fourth and so on opinions before I tear the front of my motor apart. My 68 f100 360 won't even idle and I believe it's a timing issue. I just picked it up, it's been sitting for years. I've done the following. New, fuel, lines, rebuilt carb, points, condenser, cap, rotor plugs, wires, correct firing order (off tdc) , not 180 out,it has compression. I can't get it timed if I can't get it to idle more than a few seconds.

My question is how many degrees of slacks allowed in a timing chain in relation to the rotor? I had the cap off with a breaker on the crank. I rotated it counter clockwise until it moved, then rotating it clockwise about 10-15 degrees before the rotor even moved.

Thanks guys! I have a video of the rotation but don't know if I'm allowed or if it's not a feature on the forum

 

Did you set #1 cylinder to TDC and just drop the distributor in wherever it falls and go off the firing order assuming #1 is where the rotor just so happened to land or did you get it to TDC and drop the distributor so it points at #1 exactly and go off that? Either way, you can make it work, but it can be very confusing, especially if you're doing it the first method that I mentioned. I had a hard time following what you are saying / asking. Timing chain slack is not good in any engine, and if it is really 10-15 degrees like you said, that can be a pretty big issue. People will argue at higher RPM it will be more / less of an issue, but either way if things aren't "timed" correctly you can have some serious issue.

You also have to consider backlash. (I think thats what it is called.) The engine never actually rotates counter clockwise. This could be due to weak gears or the chain is getting loose. I believe with an FE you can pull the fuel pump and see / feel the timing chain.

 

Yes, after I found tdc I dropped the distributor down where the rotor was pointing to the #1 cylinder on the cap.

That is helpful if I can pull the fuel pump and check the chain that way.

When I dropped it in and started it up is ran rough for a few seconds and I tried blindly advancing and retarding the timing by turning the distributor in between startups to see if I could find a sweet spot to have time enough to get a timing light on it. But it just won't start at all and just turn over or will run rough for a few seconds even if I nurse the gas and choke.

It should also be mentioned to my puzzlement, I would try and start it. and after seeing that the rotor was at tdc and #1 I'd turn it over a few times and go back to the front of the motor put it back at tdc, pop the cap and the rotor would be 180 out from where I just saw it a few motor rotations before... Baffling, I was under the impression that if I'm tdc on #1 it would be that way after running and it was brought back to the same marks for tdc? I checked the teeth on the rotor and the cam they seem to be in great condition.

I don't know what else it could be other than the slack in the timing chain and or skipping teeth?

 

the crankshaft rotates two full times to the cams one time. So if your rotor is 180 off you are on the exhaust stroke not the compression stroke.