Good morning everyone. I am working on my 78 f150, 4x4, 315m, c6, factory ac truck. I have been researching what all i should do, and since ive got the front end apart and having the radiator and such inspected I started toying with the idea of doing a new timing set since I was also thinking about doing a new water pump (halfway there right?). My question is what timing set does every one recommend? When i look at summit, jegs, etc there are about a million options. Also, while I was researching, my engine is a reman jasper unit from somewhere in the 1995-1998 era. Do you think it has the same -4 timing retard in it, or would they have use a 0* (or straight up as Ive seen it called) and is there a way for me to tell? Or a way to tell without pulling the timing cover off? Also, is this worth doing on a stock motor that i dont plan on doing too much to? In the long run this truck is a work around the property/ hunting truck that if its worth it, It may one day wind up with the timing set, cam, headers and maybe a carb. But that'll all have to come in time. Ill also probably get the factory ac back up and going.

Thank you guys for all of the help and the great forum ive been reading since 05. Im just a diesel guy and finally got into the older trucks that Ive always wanted. So its been a learning curve.

 

I'm guessing that Jasper puts them back to OEM specs, and so it would have the retarding timing set. If you can confirm that your valve timing is retarded, then that would be a good reason to put in a nice new 0º timing set.

It's gotta be really painstaking work, but I think you could determine your valve/cam timing by setting up a piston stop and pulling a valve cover off, and seeing when the valves react in relation to what the piston is doing. But of course, who's to say that Jasper's cam is identical to OEM specs...

 

Without the cam card and a degree wheel kit, who knows where you cam to crank timing will be with a new chain & gears or where Jasper put it with the one you have. Far to many variables will change the cam to crank timing to say "straight up" is spot on. I've never had to back into degreeing a cam without a card, but it may be possible. I've had good luck with Cloys True Roller's, Ford Motorsports (which is a Cloys), Roll Master and ProGear sets, but I've degreed them all and none were spot on for a Ford, Mopar or Chevy engine.

 

When I did mine years ago, the OEM crank sprocket had just one keyway, but the set I put on had three keyways in the crank sprocket, and each was marked on front side at 4 degrees retarded (-4), 0 degrees (0), … and 4 degrees advanced (+4 …. which was the one I set it to with the Crane Fireball cam I was installing).

Worked well, just thought info reguarding markings and keyways might give you something to check for.
Every aftermarket set I've seen that let you set it (351M-or 400 cam timing chain set) straight up had 3 keyways so marked and I expect Jasper used an off the shelf part for the crank sprocket, be it straight up or OEM retarded spec.