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I have a 1963 F100 with a 223 engine in it. I have tried setting the timing several times and it will run for a few days and then fall on its face again. Today I set the initial timing at 4 degrees BTDC, the rotor was set at the #1 spark plug wire on the cap, vacuum was plugged and disconnected and I connect a vacuum gauge to the manifold port. I have it running steady at 20 on the gauge (which is center in the green) It ran ford about 20mins, temp gauge hit about 200-210 and then it started to pop out of the exhaust and slowly die like it was out of gas (when is was not). I restarted it and I had to have the choke almost fully closed to keep it running. Rolled it to TDC again and the rotor was 180 degree off. Also when it was running, I would give it so throttle and it would dive into late timing in the red and almost stall. Any help or guidance would be must appreciated.
I am almost thinking it needs a new timing set.
(Load o matic dizzy with a pertronix on it. Autolite 1100 carb.)
I assume you are using a timing light and not that vacuum gauge to set the timing. You have to pull number 1 spark plug to verify you are actually on #1 tdc compression stroke. Most engines will indicate tdc on the balancer on more than one cylinder. The Load-O-Matic system works OK if everything is exactly as the factory built it.
Being 180 degrees off doesn't make sense since it would have backfired and quit way before it got that far off.
In order to trouble shoot that Load-O-Matic you have to have your mind completely wrapped around how the spark control valve in the carb interacts with the springs in the distributor. The vacuum signal from the spark control valve is too small to measure accurately with an ordinary vacuum gauge. The vacuum advance curve on that distributor is 2 degrees at 0.30 inches of vacuum and 11 degrees at 4.20 inches of vacuum with the original carburetor. If your spark control valve on the carb is bad or the springs in the distributor are weak or binding the thing won't work.
All engines will show TDC 2 times for #1 cyl, 1 for compression and the one oyu want when dropping the dist back in and timing.
And in the intake stroke that would be 180* off and you get back fire up the carb as the intake valve would be open when spark happens.
I dont know just how that load system works as I seen posted it can give you fits as it dose not work like a we are use to.
Yes you need a timing light. If it was what we use on the newer stuff you can get timing close with a vacuum gauge.
Dave ----
Not sure, but does the 223 have the same issue as the 240/300's with the gear on the bottom of the dist. shearing the pin and spinning..? I know on one of my old 66's w/300 that I chased the timing slowly changing, finally pulled the dist. and found the gear was moving.
Life happened, finally got back to the truck for a bit and pulled the spark plugs. Can anyone help me diagnose these? I bought new spark plugs, cap, wires, and vacuum advance. Bottom to top, 1-6 1-3 bottom to top 4-6 Bottom to top
