IF you have your initial timing properly set to 10BTDC, it will idle ok without the SPOUT working in normal circumstances.

This is the jist I get of how it works;

You have a hall effect device inside the dist that reads that metal piece going around with the little windows in it. The hall effect reads these windows and produces a square wave signal in time with each cylinder. You twist the distributor around like the old days to get it all in time with the engine,

These square waves are sent down to the TFI on the side of the dist. It's processed a little bit, and then it's called the PIP. This PIP is split in two directions. One direction it stays in the TFI and goes to the circuit in the TFI that fires the coil. This is how the engine keeps running with the spout disconnected. It runs at what you have the base timing set at, which should be 10BTDC.

The other direction the PIP goes to is out a wire plugged in the TFI and heads to the ECM. The ECM uses the PIP to verify the engine is actually turning, to fire the injectors, and probably several other things I am leaving out. The ECM also takes the PIP signal, looks at all it's sensors and programming, and modifies the PIP making the square wave of the PIP longer or shorter. This modified PIP signal is now called the SPOUT, and is sent back to the TFI module. Somehow in the TFI module it see's there is a signal on the SPOUT, and it reverts to that signal, ignoring the PIP it was using when the SPOUT wasn't there. The SPOUT varies the timing up and down just like a old time distributor would with the springs and weights and the vacuum advance.

 

I had ordered some new injectors that came in, so I decided to go ahead and install them. Upon finishing the job, the truck runs like a top! Not sure if it was a severe vacuum leak that was fixed in the process, or the old injectors that were jacked up, but the problem seems to be solved. I will clear the codes, run it for a while then pull them again. Thanks for all of the input!

 

Check your timing with a light when you get time, and rev it and see if it moves. If it doesn't, you will be down on power and fuel mileage with your timing locked.

 

Will do! My left side injectors are leaking right now and I have to fix the hole of a fuel rail bolt I cross threaded, but as soon as all of that is well, I'll throw the light on it! Thanks again for all the help!

 

One last post to close out this thread. I fixed the leaking injectors. Truck was running better, but still had a hard miss and not nearly the power it should have. It also backfired through the intake under load. After a lot of head scratching and borderline depression, I went back to the basics and checked the plug wires... someone (either myself or my son) while dealing with the injectors and removing the upper intake, swapped wire 1 and wire 4. I swapped them back and now she runs like a scalded dog! Thanks so much for all of the input and insight! Now on to more important things like radio and speaker installation!