Hello everyone, I have an issue with my 1995 f150 automatic 5.0 302 HO. A buddy of mine was doing some work on it. He swapped out the intake manifold gaskets, in doing so he removed the distributor but he didn't mark or labeled anything to keep note of how to place it back.. So in doing that he lost the timing. I have tried setting the timing my self. But had no luck. I did notice that in trying to find the timing. The fuel injectors aren't firing. Everytime I set the distributor it'll fluctuate sometimes the odd injectors won't fire but the even ones do. And vice-versa.. You're help is greatly needed and we'll be appreciated thank you.

 

Hi David, if the distributor was removed from the block, you need to establish Top Dead Center for your #1 cylinder and, with your distributor out of the engine, make sure the rotor is pointed at the #1 on the cap and re insert it into the block. There are very good instructions for this in any pertinent manual. 'Setting' the timing will NOT accomplish the same thing as the engine has its cylinders at the wrong spot on your distributor. Good luck, you can do it!

 

I've tried that.. At one point It felt like if I could go a little bit more clockwise it would be set, but I couldn't turn it anymore. I'm guessing it reached it stopping point going clockwise

 

No, you are trying to 'set the timing', but if your dizzy is not in the right cog, you will be unsuccessful.
You must establish that your dizzy and your engine piston position is in sync.
You will never get timed if that is not correct!

 

What's a "dizzy"?

 

Dizzy = Distributor. Because it spins..

 

Oooh 😂 . what about COG?

 

Hey David, I should have said gear instead of cog, its at the bottom of the dizzy and one tooth off will give the problem you are describing, or not able to set the timing.

 

Ah ok. Gotcha 👍

 

Don't forget that the distributor gear has a helical cut so the Rotor will rotate AS you are dropping the distributor in place.

The complication is that the bottom of the shaft also has the hex to engage the oil pump drive.

So you have two things that you need to line up, The rotor to the number one wire tower and the hex for the oil pump.

Put your cap on and make a mark on the distributor body where number ONE is.

Bring the motor to TDC.

When you drop the Distributor in you'll see which way the rotor is trying to turn so you need to index it so it's a little BEFORE your tower mark.

If it will not drop fully in, you can do two things: Pull the distributor out and go down inside the motor with a 1/4 hex and turn the pump shaft about an 1/8th turn and try again. I've used an empty bit driver that was just long enough to reach... if you use a socket on an extension make sure it's held on tightly.

Second way would be to quickly give the motor a bump while the distributor has just caught the cam gear and it will drop onto the pump shaft. If you do this one just give it a QUICK short bump so it doesn't turn much.

That should get you in the ball park.

TG

 

I found an old pic I took when I first bought my truck about a year ago. It shows the #1 mark to be on #7..should I try going off of this mark. Or keep trying to set it using the #1 mark that's on the rotor cap from factory?

 

Does this truck have an automatic transmission? If it does not only do you need to line up cylinder #1 (or you should) to line up to the distributor cap you also need to ensure the stator vane that indicates cylinder #1 is lined up so the computer knows when to fire the correct injector.

For reference: Fuel Injection Technical Library » Stator (RPM)

 

So do the camshaft and crankshaft. Just being the advocate. Calling the distributor a “dizzy” makes me cringe.

 

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Yes it's an automatic transmission

 

My guess is that someone was off when they installed the distributor so they moved the wires on the cap to make up for it. You need to find TDC for #1 on the compression stroke and line up the rotor with #1 on the cap.