Okay so here is the rundown.
My F100 has a 400m in it, this is my first older car and I am not familiar with distributors and timing.
So, right now I have a no start situation. After some troubleshooting I narrowed the problem down to the distributor being bad. I am sure of this.
So, I purchased another distributor from Summit and I have that installed. The problem there is that when the last distributor was on there I may have turned it a bunch. Also, further complicating the problem, there aren't any set marks where the engine meets the distributor. I am pretty sure the vacuum advance was facing forward and to the right a little.
So, now I have the new distributor installed, I do have the vacuum advance plugged, and I have a timing light. I've also installed new plugs and checked to make sure the firing order is correct, which it is.
I did a bit of research and found out I can advance or retard the timing by turning the distributor, There is a white mark of the harmonic balancer and a pointer installed, but there is no measurement scale.
I faced the distributor forward and a bit to the right and no dice. I get a popping/hissing type of sound.
So, I turned the distributor as far clockwise as possible and turned the ignition, I continued this in small increments until I had the distributor as far counter clockwise as I could turn it. No dice.
So, the further clockwise it is I get a hiss/pop sound coming from the engine and it will continue to do this over and over.
The further to the counter clockwise end I get the hiss/pop slows and eventually stops and I get to a sound like it wants to crank but bogs and it won't start either.
I found a place in middle that sounds like it really really wants to start but it doesn't.
My questions are: is this a timing problem, if so..... how do I correct? Keep in mind I have never, nor do I, know how to set btdc, everything i've read in forums is for when the car is already in idle? Do I manually need to set this before the truck will start?
Is the truck maybe flooded?
FYI: It did sit for a few months in my garage before I fixed all of this, just for note.
I would really appreciate the help, I am new to this and literally know nothing about timing or timing adjustment. At this point what I understand is you set a btdc using the timing light and turning the distributor, but in order to do that I need the car to start.

 

Welcome to FTE Don't panic. This is a learning experience. Take your time. Learn what's what.

You will first need to determine TDC for the #1 cylinder on the compression stroke. That is, BEFORE trying to start it.

There's no way around that at this point, really. Methodical is better than throwing s$i& at the wall. Also make doubly certain that the plug wires are in correct firing order at the distributor cap and plugs. We have to have everything "mechanically zeroed" first before worrying about distributor.

I'm unclear as to whether you have had the engine running before, ever?

Then report back.

 

What is the best way to go about that? Also, when i find TDC am I suppose to mark something or do I just need to leave it in that position?
I appreciate the help.

 

First verify what engine you have.

Determine #1 cylinder for that engine. Remove spark plug. Rotate engine clockwise with a breaker bar and socket on damper pulley bolt. With thumb over spark plug hole you will feel air push past, this is the compression stroke. Observe timing mark/pointer. It should be lined up with 0 deg mark when piston reaches exact TDC. This also assumes that damper is serviceable and has not slipped with time and age. Use your judgment, but when you are certain #1 cylinder is at TDC on the compression stroke, then observe where the rotor is pointing in the distributor cap in relation to the #1 tower/wire on the cap. Make a mark on the distributor body with a sharpy or something prior to removing cap.

It rotates CCW. It needs to be just ahead of that mark, and continue on in firing order. The distributor has a helical gear so it can be difficult to get this lined up correctly during installation or "stabbing a dizzy".

If you are desperate, the plug wires can be moved over in either direction to compensate for this error. The distributor/engine doesn't care, so long as the firing order is correct. This will confuse anyone working on the engine, though, and the timing light won't work right unless the new #1 cylinder is utilized.

 

Ok, so i hand turned the engine and felt compression on the #1 spark plug, checked the rotor inside the distributor cap. The rotor was in the 12 o'clock position, I turned the body of the distributor so the lead attached to the body lined up with that, and I set the distributor cap and wires up so that the #1 on the cap was just in front of the mark, and now i'm getting a large backfire and am def. haha not really, but it made my ears ring. How do I proceed from here?

 

When I don't have a clue when it comes to timing issues I resort to the old school approach of determining TDC by removing #1 cylinder spark plug, disconnect the coil wire, ignition off, then insert finger in the opening and slowly turn the engine and immediately stop when compression forces my finger out of the opening. I then check the relationship of the rotor to plug wire, which should be directed to #1 cyl. on distributor cap, and also where the timing marks align on the damper. I then seat the carb. fuel mixture needle, oh so slightly, and back off approx. 1 1/2 turns. I use this only as a reference point, the timing mark may be off couple degrees but sufficient enough to get the engine running and fine tune to spec's from there, keeping in mind, any adjustment on the timing then recheck the idle mixture.

 

Well, I didn't know the compression was going to be enough to force my finger out of the hole. So, I'm assuming now that I didn't find the proper position of the piston? I felt air but it wasn't that strong.

 

I would not describe it as a significant force to blow your socks off; however, it should be sufficient to force your finger out of the opening. Suggest turning the engine over couple cycles to get a feel. With an old engine may get a 'puff' but should be able to distinguish between the compression and exhaust stroke?? As noted, the old school is just to get in the ball park, another alternative is to remove the valve cover and watch for #1 intake/exhaust rotation, or remove the timing cover and check the cam and crank shaft alignment.

 

Perhaps it would help to back up and confirm some details.

Do you have the firing order printed out with while working on the truck? This may prove especially helpful to put things close to factory specs since you relocated at least one wire.

Are you sure you have a 400? (By the way, it is a 400, not a 400M. The "M" designation is for the 351M, but not the 400.) Double check my statement here, but if I am correct, the 351M and the 400 have a different firing order than other Ford V8 engines.

Are you sure your have identified the #1 piston's location? When standing at the front of the truck, it is the most forward one on the left side - passenger side - of the engine.

It sounds as though you have not identified TDC of the #1 piston. The following method ought to help.
Remove the left side valve cover and #1 spark plug.
Insert a straight piece of electrical wire into the cylinder, 8-12 inches long or so.
Rotate the engine and observe the tops of the #1 cylinder valves as they go up and down.

When the wire is at its highest point, and both valves are at their highest, the #1 piston is at TDC. Both conditions must be met, by the way.
Now is the time also to mark the harmonic balancer at the TDC point so you don't have to find it again. I am going to bet that white mark is it, or close to it to account for advance/retard.

You can now pull the distributor cap to check the rotor position - it should be pointing at or close to the #1 spark plug tower and wire.
If it isn't, you will need to make appropriate changes, most likely to the distributor.

In my opinion, the backfire seems to indicate that your distributor is 180 degrees (or half-way around the circle) out of time.

Once you have TDC properly marked, you can reinstall the valve cover and start figuring out the adjustments you need to make with the distributor. You may have to pull it, for example, to relocate it some.

Best of luck.

 

No such thing as a 400M, it's just plain 'ol 400.

351C/351M/400 have 8 valve cover bolts per side, there's no timing cover per se, just a flat engine cover plate.

The fuel pump bolts to the left (drivers) side of the engine block w/a 6 & 12 o'clock bolt pattern.

351C: 1970/74 Ford/Merc Passenger Cars & Ford Ranchero's only.

351M: 1975/79 Ford/Merc Passenger Cars; 1977/79 F100/350; 1978/82 Bronco; 1980/82 F150/350.

400: 1971/79 Ford/Merc Passenger Cars; 1977/79 F100/350; 1978/79 Lincoln/Continental Mark V; 1978/82 Bronco; 1980/82 F150/350.

 

If you have never installed a distributor before I recommend you get help from someone who has. It can be very frustrating.


The #1 piston will be at the top on both the compression and exhaust stroke, you want it at TDC on the compression stroke, so a helper makes it easier since you need to rotate the engine and watch for the air escaping out of the plug hole.


Its easier to rotate the engine if you pull all eight plugs so you aren't fighting compression on all eight cylinders. Its a good time to chek their condition and gap anyway.