Greetings, as I am new here. I have a 1986 F150 with the 4.9l engine. The short version: I replaced the distributor and now it will not start. Timing marks set at TDC. Rotor points to #1. Timing light shows on the mark. As the ICM (?) came with the new distributor, is there something special to set / adjust? Have rotated the distributor with no success. What very basic and simple piece of this puzzle am I missing? Thanks in advance.

 

If the timing marks are set to number one, that does not necessarily mean that number 1 is at TDC. This is a 4 stroke engine, the piston comes to the top to fire at TDC, but it also comes to the top during the exhaust stroke. Turn the engine around once and sit it back on the same marks, set your rotor to #1 plug wire, and try it again.

One other quick way is to take the sparkplug out of #1 cylinder, and hold your finger over the sparkplug hole while someone turns the engine by hand. When you feel air trying to push your finger off the hole, start looking at the marks and line them up. That's how you can tell it's getting ready to fire, when you feel the air coming out of the cylinder.

 

Franklin2, thanks! Back to automotive 101 and it fired right up! Now, another question. What is this SPOUT business? I realize some of the concept, but it has eluded me as to its location. I know I am close on the timing, but it is supposed to be "out" when doing the timing. Again, any help would be much appreciated.

 

Before you disconnect the "spout" connector see if you have any advance. The timing marks should move around as you rev it up some. If you are running in fixed timing you have bigger problems.

On my truck the spout connector was near the Dist, it was a round disconnect with one wire. They don't all look the same so try "google images"


Also, here is a good explanation of the feed back system...
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post15375673


Jim

 

You should have a group of wires leaving the dist. Follow this group, one will probably stray off by itself for a little bit, and then it will have a connector or jumper plug in this wire. This is the spout connector. It takes timing control away from the computer so you can set the timing.

Your dist has no advance weights and no vacuum advance. It just goes round and round sending pulses to the computer, and points the rotor to the right sparkplug wire. The computer does all the work for the timing advance. A lot of these old sixes with the computer have been ripped apart, so the computer doesn't work anymore. So then your timing is never advance correctly.

 

Gentlemen, thanks for all the info. Got the timing set properly and looks like we are in good shape. Again, thanks.