360 Timing- Rotor vs. Crank

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Mar 13, 2004 | 08:53 PM

Mr. Green

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From: Evanston

360 Timing- Rotor vs. Crank

Hello All. I have a 73 F250 2bbl 360, and noticed something a little strange when checking the timing. When setting the truck at #1 TDC, the rotor points to the number 1 lead, but the crank reads 30 BTC. Shouldn't the crank be reading 0 (TC)?

Am I missing something? (no pun intended) Could the previous owner have misaligned the distributor at some point? Timing chain error? Would it explain the detonation under heavy load I've been experiencing?

Thanks.

Mar 14, 2004 | 01:41 PM

cleanLX

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From: Phoenix Az, by way of Fre

the balancer 'should' be at 0.
maybe the balancer is shot, and the outside ring has slipped?
or, the previous owner has it set up to run total 30* advance and the mech. and vacuum advanced have been weded/plug'd... ?

I'm a novice, so maybe someone else will correct me.

Mar 14, 2004 | 01:51 PM

weldingfreak

Tuned

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From: Missouri

Far as i know you are correct (cleanlx). The ring could have slipped. The distributer should be 8-12 degree advanced so when you zero the distributer the dampner will show the diffrence and the ring slipping would add up to the 30 degrees.

Mar 14, 2004 | 06:30 PM

Randyb12

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From: Eureka, Ca.

How are you checking TDC? Pull the No. 1 spark plug and use a small scredriver to make sure the piston is at the top. The damper should show 0. If it doesn't then it slipped. You should replace it.

Mar 14, 2004 | 07:55 PM

Mr. Green

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From: Evanston

Thanks for the suggestions/info. Next time I visit the truck I will check on the balancer, and verify the piston's location similar to your suggestion Randy.

I have to install a new distributor and I want to make sure everything is set before I pull the old one out. It's funny- I just wanted to replace the vacuum advance, thinking it might solve the pinging problem, and the 30 year old screws both broke off at the head. Not having any "easy out" bits, I thought I would drill the remainder of the screws out, and wound up making a mess of the mounting flange. Oh well, I hope I will be better off without the points type distributor in the long run...

Thanks again everybody!

Eric
(Mr. Green is the name of the truck...)

Mar 14, 2004 | 10:45 PM

Randyb12

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From: Eureka, Ca.

The electronic igntion will be a maintaince free setup. As for the timing just set the timing mark to 0. Then see if the piston is at the top. if it is just drop in the new distributor. Set timing with a timing light and your set. Good luck.

Mar 15, 2004 | 07:54 AM

tomw

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Joined: Jan 2002

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From: suburban atlanta

Did you check for slop in your timing chain? If it is worn, with high mileage, it can allow the crank to move back and forth before moving the camshaft.. and the distributor rotor. The damper is a good thing to check, but I'd be checking the timing chain before condemning the damper.
tom