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360FE ignition timing problem

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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 10:02 AM
  #1  
ved0303's Avatar
ved0303
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360FE ignition timing problem

Hey guys. I don't have much experience timing engines and I'm have all sorts of trouble trying to do so on my 1975 F250. The 360 was just rebuilt. The distributor was put in with the rotor pointing to the #1 on the cap with the engine TDC on compression stroke for sure. I did the initial break in, running it at 2000 RPM for about 30 minutes. Oil pressure and temp was great. The timing while at 2000 was about 20*.
The next day I was going to take it out and do the driving break-in but the truck gave me all sorts of hell trying to start. Finally got it running and it would struggle to gain RPM and then run strong at and above 2000.

My questions: My guess is that its a timing issue. Does that sound right?
And does 20* at 2000 RPM sound about right?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 10:24 AM
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351Cleveland C4
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What is your idle timing at? Shoot for about 12*.
 
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 10:33 AM
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how do I set the idle timing since i'm not supposed to idle the engine? Is it ok to idle for 30 seconds so I can do that?
 
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 10:40 AM
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You can idle it. You broke it In already you said.
 
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 10:46 AM
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Ok I will give that a shot. I read that you should avoid idling for the first while after a rebuild so I was nervous about it. I did't want all the money I spent on it to go to waste.
Yesterday it was super hard to start and when it finally did, it wouldn't idle at all. Does that sound like timing issues or something else?
 
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 11:13 AM
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351Cleveland C4
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Originally Posted by ved0303
Ok I will give that a shot. I read that you should avoid idling for the first while after a rebuild so I was nervous about it. I did't want all the money I spent on it to go to waste. Yesterday it was super hard to start and when it finally did, it wouldn't idle at all. Does that sound like timing issues or something else?
Sounds like a tuning issue. Timing, carburetor, both.
 
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 01:29 PM
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ved0303
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seem to have it figured out. I took off the dist cap and started over with the timing. started right up and set the idle to about 12*. running much better but struggles to gain RPM from idle but once it does its ok. I think its an accelerator pump issue. Thanks for the help!
 
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 01:41 PM
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How do you mean "struggles to gain RPM" is it sputtering and popping? Just slow revving?

If your timing is set, that leaves the carb.
 
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 09:28 PM
  #9  
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ved0303
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it sputters wants to die. You have to be super easy on the gas to very slowly work the RPMs up. I'm guessing its a carburetor issue. The timing seems good. Is there a way to adjust total timing on a Duraspark II distributor?
 
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