Crank, No start
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
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No, there is no backlash adjustment on a Ford Distributor drive. Assuming the OP bought a basic parts store replacement, it will have the proper cast iron gear on it to go with the stock camshaft. Yes, OEM distributors use a Roll Pin, but I've seen aftermarket ones that use set screws before, and the can and do back out, which is likely why the OP's distributor started acting up in the first place.
just a MSD distributor cap had the 1 molded in the wrong spot has me skeptical, let alone petronix cap(gm style) just literally was dimensionally incorrect and did not work and the rotor hit half of the towers on a rotation lol. the coil barely fit on it. hopefully OPs drop in is better than that stuff
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 297
Likes: 42
No, there is no backlash adjustment on a Ford Distributor drive. Assuming the OP bought a basic parts store replacement, it will have the proper cast iron gear on it to go with the stock camshaft. Yes, OEM distributors use a Roll Pin, but I've seen aftermarket ones that use set screws before, and the can and do back out, which is likely why the OP's distributor started acting up in the first place.
heres a few photos, not a set screw.. didn’t look closely enough at it also a couple photos from inside the distributor hole
Old distributor with sheared pin
Different view
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2009
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Ok, that is definitely a sheared roll pin. That *can* just happen with age, but it's not common, usually it's indicative of something else. Could be a bad cam bearing, could be a lifters dug into a cam lobe, could be something broken on one of the timing gears, or the timing chain. That definitely merits further inspection, in my opinion.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
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Ok, that is definitely a sheared roll pin. That *can* just happen with age, but it's not common, usually it's indicative of something else. Could be a bad cam bearing, could be a lifters dug into a cam lobe, could be something broken on one of the timing gears, or the timing chain. That definitely merits further inspection, in my opinion.
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2021
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i saw that too and it does give me some cause for concern…
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2009
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Good eye. That chain is loose as hell. I'm betting money you've got skipped teeth due to the chain being that loose. You're going to be removing a timing cover. Lucky You!
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2021
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I did all this work to get this thing running, drive it for 15min and it just shut off. This is a non interference motor correct? Truck ran excellent when it was last on the road before it died. Didn’t sound bad when it shut off going down the road
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2009
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It's not *impossible* for a valve to hit a piston on these engines. Aside from the potential for the bolts that are common to the water pump and timing cover, doing a timing chain on the 5.0 and 5.8 is pretty straightforward and not overly expensive to do. But you definitely want to fix this, before it *does* create a condition where you've got the valve timing so far out of whack that it could cause a valve to contact the piston. You'll really never get the timing accurate either, if you don't fix it.
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2021
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It's not *impossible* for a valve to hit a piston on these engines. Aside from the potential for the bolts that are common to the water pump and timing cover, doing a timing chain on the 5.0 and 5.8 is pretty straightforward and not overly expensive to do. But you definitely want to fix this, before it *does* create a condition where you've got the valve timing so far out of whack that it could cause a valve to contact the piston. You'll really never get the timing accurate either, if you don't fix it.
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2021
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Think I’ll run a compression test too since all the plugs are out
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
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since you will have you timing cover off, does your oil pan leak? dented? want to paint it? nows your time lol
Lead Driver
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you said you have a 1990, and the only reason I post this is because Ive got a 1990 small block(5.0 presumably..) thermostat/hose outlet and I believe it crosses to a thunderbird or a truck, I forget, but I doubt I will ever use it.(nothing against small block ford just dont have any need for one)
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Tuned
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Timing chain should consist of only a chain and two sprockets no tensioner I’m pretty sure, they all go on together, only way to remove and install the timing chain is to pull both cam and crank sprockets at once. Currently tearing into it now… I just did my thermostat a month ago, so I should be okay with my housing but I will let you know
thankfully my oil pan doesn’t leak, what really irks me about ford is that you can’t really remove the pan on these trucks without pulling the engine, same thing for the powerstrokes, the 7.3 DI’s at least.
thankfully my oil pan doesn’t leak, what really irks me about ford is that you can’t really remove the pan on these trucks without pulling the engine, same thing for the powerstrokes, the 7.3 DI’s at least.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 5,221
Likes: 805
Timing chain should consist of only a chain and two sprockets no tensioner I’m pretty sure, they all go on together, only way to remove and install the timing chain is to pull both cam and crank sprockets at once. Currently tearing into it now… I just did my thermostat a month ago, so I should be okay with my housing but I will let you know
thankfully my oil pan doesn’t leak, what really irks me about ford is that you can’t really remove the pan on these trucks without pulling the engine, same thing for the powerstrokes, the 7.3 DI’s at least.
thankfully my oil pan doesn’t leak, what really irks me about ford is that you can’t really remove the pan on these trucks without pulling the engine, same thing for the powerstrokes, the 7.3 DI’s at least.
Ah my question about tensioner was because my car has a v6 with a balance shaft I am pretty sure, so it has to loop more than just the crank and cam. If your engine uses keyways make sure to use new ones. Im not sure if there is an endplay check or whatever but good time to make sure you dont have any play on the cam and crank thats excessive too
and without pulling your oil pan, just be mindful of things falling down and maybe use the right stuff on the sealing surface you disturb taking the cover off