Hey everyone. I have to smog my truck and set the timing to 800-600 rpm in order for it to pass. Currently my truck is set at around 1000-900rpm. That's just where it likes to run. The harmonic balancer is worn so using a timing light to line up the marks is not an option. I have to set it by ear. I know that it must be advanced 10 degrees.

My dad says he attempted lowering the rpms and the engine just wouldn't drop to that rpm range. Anyone have any ideas as to why? I have had this same problem in the past, I just can't remember how we got it to run at that range. I remember it ran like **** when it was running that low.

 

Why are you setting the idle rpm with the timing? The idle rpm is set with the screw on the carb on the throttle stop. That is, if you have the older non-computerized carburetor. What setup do you have, what year engine?

 

And if timing was set to 10* BTDC before then there is no need to go changing timing as it should not change like it would with points.

I take it you have the timing scale on the cover but don't have the mark on the crank pulley?
You can make a new mark pretty easy if you want.
You will need a piston stop and install it in the #1 cly. Make sure the piston is down before you install the stop.
Turn the motor over BY HAND till the stop hits the piston and will not turn, mark the crank where the 0 mark is on the scale.
Now turn the motor over BY HAND the other way till the stop hits the piston and will not turn, mark the crank where the 0 mark is on the scale.

You should see the 2 marks on the crank are not in the same place. In between the 2 marks is where the crank needs to be marked for TDC on the crank.
Pull the stop out of the motor and turn the motor by hand till that mark is at TDC on the scale. Pop the cap & rotor and look to see where that star thing is, It should be right in the center of the pick up coil or pretty close.
You can turn the dist. so it is and then use a timing light to see if the make is on TDC as it should be, then adjust for the 10* BTDC
Make sure when checking timing the vacuum is disconnected & plugged and the idle speed set to factory speck.
Dave ----

 

Is your truck a 1985? Does it still have the original "Feedback" ignition and carburetor?

 

yes my truck is 1985 and yes it still has the original feedback carb and ignition

 

I see in the other thread the inspector said the timing was off. Did you watch him check it or ask him how he did it?

 

No I unfortunately did not

 

Several years ago, my son's 1984 with 4.9L engine [which also has the same Feedback ignition and carburetion] was idling fast and not running well. It ended up being a vacuum leak. Here is a link to what was written about the testing procedure. Maybe it will provide some ideas.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...expensive.html

 

I have fixed most of the vacuum leaks at this point. I just need to time it to 10° degrees in order to pass smog. The worn harmonic balancer makes this hard to do without a timing light.

 

So what I did was connect my timing light to the #1 spark plug, then disconnected the distributor computer. I started it and lined up the yellow and white lines. The yellow line was marked at 10°. The truck now runs at about 250-300rpm. Last time I smogged the truck, it was running bad but not this bad. Does anyone know how I can get it to run better? Would messing with the blue and red idle screws on the right side of the feedback carb help at all?

 

I have successfully timed the truck to about 750 rpm. I set it to TDC and static timed it. Then I started it up and it ran fine. Gotta love being a total newbie in the automotive world