timing problem
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Arkansas
timing problem
well i researched and thought i knew what i was getting into when changing the icm but i seem to have gotten the timing off... off to the point it wont start so i set the h bal. to 10 degree btc and the rotor to the number 1 plug and still not even attempting to fire up i smell gas in the exhaust
am i missing something here... simple project gone terribly wrong!
i know i prolly need a timing light but if it wont even start how would i use it?
1988 351w sd efi
could the balancer maybe be not set with the actual motor position??or
electrical prob?
am i missing something here... simple project gone terribly wrong!
i know i prolly need a timing light but if it wont even start how would i use it?
1988 351w sd efi
could the balancer maybe be not set with the actual motor position??or
electrical prob?
Last edited by beastybronco; Aug 10, 2004 at 09:38 PM.
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From: Virginia
Well, sounds like marking the distributor I described before didn't pan out? You are now going to have to check and reset the whole business.
Take number 1 sparkplug out.
Put your thumb over the sparkplug hole, and bump the engine over.
When you feel air pushing your thumb off the hole, stop bumping the engine, and then take a socket and turn the engine till the timing marks line up on the damper.
Find the sparkplug wire position that goes to #1 on the top of the dist cap. The rotor has to point to the number 1 wire. You will have to pull the dist out till you get it lined up. If the dist only wants to go about half-way in the engine, then you are going to have to pull the dist out, and turn the oil pump shaft a little bit with a small extension and socket, then try again.
Take number 1 sparkplug out.
Put your thumb over the sparkplug hole, and bump the engine over.
When you feel air pushing your thumb off the hole, stop bumping the engine, and then take a socket and turn the engine till the timing marks line up on the damper.
Find the sparkplug wire position that goes to #1 on the top of the dist cap. The rotor has to point to the number 1 wire. You will have to pull the dist out till you get it lined up. If the dist only wants to go about half-way in the engine, then you are going to have to pull the dist out, and turn the oil pump shaft a little bit with a small extension and socket, then try again.
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From: Arkansas
well i have removed the dist and replaced it several times so far no problem with the oil pump shaft (i always hafta turn the dist. back some to get it all the way in then bring the mark out to where it will line up)
however i dont understand how do i line up the marks on the damper? just put the 10* mark on the pointer? that is what i have done or are the damper and actual engine position different? bump it with the socket right not with the starter?
sorry for all the questions but i am somewhat confused by this whole nite
however i dont understand how do i line up the marks on the damper? just put the 10* mark on the pointer? that is what i have done or are the damper and actual engine position different? bump it with the socket right not with the starter?
sorry for all the questions but i am somewhat confused by this whole nite
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,237
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From: Belleville, Ontario
Just one little thing. When you are bringing the #1 piston up on the compression stroke, do the thumb in the spark plug hole thing to be sure it is the compression stroke. Before the piston gets to TDC, put a dowel or screwdriver in the spark plug hole to watch for when the piston stops coming up. When you are satisfied that the piston is at the top, look at the timing marks. If they line up, thats good. If not, repeat the proceedure to confirm the piston is TDC & adjust your timing marks from there.
AL.
AL.
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From: Arkansas
it is coming up as approaches tdc
i couldnt tell exactly when it was at the top but it seemed to be atleast close to the marks on the h bal. and i tried the following timings from 15 atc 0tdc 8btc 10btc 20 btc it didnt fire on any of them and i know it was on compression stroke before it got to tdc
so i dont know what the problem could be
i couldnt tell exactly when it was at the top but it seemed to be atleast close to the marks on the h bal. and i tried the following timings from 15 atc 0tdc 8btc 10btc 20 btc it didnt fire on any of them and i know it was on compression stroke before it got to tdc
so i dont know what the problem could be
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,237
Likes: 3
From: Belleville, Ontario
I'm sorry that I haven't followed all that you have been doing with this distributor thing.
This thing has a regular type coil right?
How about unplugging any electronic parts that you don't want to risk & just hotwire the darned thing? It sure seems that you've done the mechanical end of things to the Nth degree which would point at the electrical system to be the problem.
Do you have a ballast resistor kicking around to drop the hotwire 12v down to 9ish so the coil doesn't get fried while you struggle through this?
AL.
This thing has a regular type coil right?
How about unplugging any electronic parts that you don't want to risk & just hotwire the darned thing? It sure seems that you've done the mechanical end of things to the Nth degree which would point at the electrical system to be the problem.
Do you have a ballast resistor kicking around to drop the hotwire 12v down to 9ish so the coil doesn't get fried while you struggle through this?
AL.
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From: Virginia
He has fuel injection. It will not fire without everything connected. Check to see if you have spark after all this work.
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From: Arkansas
i have spark with the light
i assume it only picks up if current goes thru the no1 wire and it does right at 10* btc i can almost get it to start by givin it gas and turnin it over and over but not quite
it ran find before i replaced the icm so i figure its either timing is off (i dont see how) or something got fouled up when the timing was off
i assume it only picks up if current goes thru the no1 wire and it does right at 10* btc i can almost get it to start by givin it gas and turnin it over and over but not quite
it ran find before i replaced the icm so i figure its either timing is off (i dont see how) or something got fouled up when the timing was off
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From: Arkansas
i wish
i guess i'll try her in the mornin
any other tips maybe run a little intake cleaner through her while i try to start it
what do u think the smoke could be it seems like its coming from over where the coolant resevoir is? the coolant level is down some but i checked the dip stick and the oil looks good no mixing or anything could it get into the cylinders and not mix with the oil?
i guess i'll try her in the mornin
any other tips maybe run a little intake cleaner through her while i try to start it
what do u think the smoke could be it seems like its coming from over where the coolant resevoir is? the coolant level is down some but i checked the dip stick and the oil looks good no mixing or anything could it get into the cylinders and not mix with the oil?
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From: Arkansas
well i didnt have time to try it before work today (and im kinda scared i dont know what coulda happened to it)
anyways i thought of one more thing that might be important when i set the timing i manually lined up the rotor, No. 1 contact and h bal 10*btc mark but when i used the light and tried to crank it the no. 1 plug was firing late ... like 5-10 atc so then i turned the dist to line it up and thats where i am now
anyways i thought of one more thing that might be important when i set the timing i manually lined up the rotor, No. 1 contact and h bal 10*btc mark but when i used the light and tried to crank it the no. 1 plug was firing late ... like 5-10 atc so then i turned the dist to line it up and thats where i am now
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From: Arkansas
i tried again no start but the plugs seemed kinda dry when i checked them so
i tried with a with some TB cleaner and that didnt help
i took the new icm off put the old on no start
then went back to the new one and started testing things with the voltmeter and found something strange
the plugs are only getting about 3 volts and it shows up as -??? is that supposed to be that way the coil wire going to the dist. cap is a positive 10-12 volts but from the cap to No.1 plug it is -3???? weird what do yall think
i tried with a with some TB cleaner and that didnt help
i took the new icm off put the old on no start
then went back to the new one and started testing things with the voltmeter and found something strange
the plugs are only getting about 3 volts and it shows up as -??? is that supposed to be that way the coil wire going to the dist. cap is a positive 10-12 volts but from the cap to No.1 plug it is -3???? weird what do yall think
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,237
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From: Belleville, Ontario
Smoke from the coolant reservoir itself would suggest a blown head gasket. You don't always get coolant in the oil when the HG blows. Pull the plugs out for inspection. Do a compression test while they're out & go from there. Leave the cleaner thing for later, after you get it running.
AL.
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AL.
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