Im wondering if i could have dis off a tooth. It runs but only stays running at like 2500rpm. I have no timing marks but a previous owner put some nail polish on a spot and im about an inch and half away from that, when i try to bring it closer to that it idles down then dies and wont run. So could it be off a tooth or would it just not run and must be something else like carb?

 

According to Ford, the late-model fuel-injected motors have "non-adjustable" timing. That, of course, is not exactly accurate. However, from your description, it sounds rather as if somebody was trying to adjust the timing and wound up getting it off just as you suspect.

I may be totally wrong, but it sounds to me as if they have it retarded way too much. If you fired it up and it ran at a higher RPM--without the accelerator being pressed--it would seem to be advanced too much.

In a Ford with a trigger wheel ignition, each ONE HALF a tooth the trigger wheel is off from the pick-up is 7 3/4-degrees the engine is out of time.

You might check the advance specs on the distributor and compare that with 2500 RPM and then check the engine with a timing light and try to correct the timing as the engine--hopefully--slows back down to normal idle.

What engine do you have in which chassis and what year, please?

 

sorry for not listing spec's it is an 84 ranger 4x4 with the 2.8. Its a jy motor so i had the heads redone, offy 4bbl intake, long tube headers, and msd 6a ign/blaster 2 coil so im just wondering if i have something wrong since this was all put together from block up. There was no dis in when i got it so i had to buy a new one i got an elec one.

 

Okay, the 1984 2.8L engine has a firing order of 1-4-2-5-3-6. The distributor turns clockwise in that engine. Cylinders 1, 2, and 3 are on the right bank of the engine; cylinders 4, 5, and 6 are on the left bank. BONE STOCK, the engine used Motorcraft AWSF42 spark plugs, gapped @ 0.044. With EITHER a manual or automatic transmission, the engine is timed @ 10 degrees BTDC. The idle speed is supposed to be checked by the EPA Emissions Decal Specs; I believe it was supposed to be 800 RPM. STOCK fuel pump pressure was to be 4.5-6.5 PSI. The valve clearance is supposed to be 0.014 on the intake side; 0.016 on the exhaust side.
The stock distributor would be a Ford DuraSpark. When you bought a distributor did you get a stock replacement, please? Or, did you go for a high-performance distributor, such as Accell or Mallory? IF the distributor is a stock replacement, there should be a Ford casting number on the side of it, just below the cap. It should read SIMILAR to the following: E47Z-12127-A. The suffix could be A, AB, A1A--or something similar to that. If the distributor is a stock replacement, if you will get me the casting number off of it, I can get you the advance rates @ given RPMs for both vacuum and centrifugal advances. Did the wiring harness from the distributor fit exactly to the factory Ford ignition module? If so, what is the color of the wire strain relief on the module. (The strain relief is a colored piece of plastic that secures the wires as they go into the control module. The color of the module does ID the module and I can relate that to some performance and voltage specs.
I hope I am not asking too much of you. I am trying to ask what I believe will be important so I can hopefully be of at least some small bit of help to you.

 

it is a stock replacement the plug pluged right in untill i added the msd box so i cut the plug off, if your talking about the plug it was black.

 

I am sorry I did not ask for exactly the correct information. I had to go back and read your posts again. I had understood it to say you had installed an MSD coil and I did not catch where you had also used their box. I apologize to you sincerely for not catching that the first time I read it. If you look at my post where I asked about it, the time was almost 1:00 AM here--perhaps I should have slept more and then read it. I am really sorry for missing that!

At any rate, I believe I have an MSD external and internal wiring routing, ID, spec, and troubleshooting guide. I will check for that and check it and get back to you as quickly as I can!

 

well i checked the the screws on the side of the carb and they where only out half turn. So i turned them in and backed them out 1 1/2 turns which is what holley says to start with and i was able to get the timing right on the polish mark . But it is still running about 1500rpm and tach is bouncing. So i think the dis is fine it has to be some carb tweeking.

 

Most sincerely, I am really glad you got it fixed to a better degree!!
I hope my posts and questions were not an aggravation nor a waste of your time and attention. I apologize for not asking about the carb sooner, but I was concentrating on the ignition details you had provided and I was looking at it totally from an electrical standpoint. I surely hope I didn't let you down.

 

Nah thanks for all your input now il have to go through the carb tomorrow and see if i can get it fixed right.

 

Good luck on it! If you wish, get me the list number off of the carburetor and I will be glad to try to look up the adjustment specs, etc. for you if you should need them and not have them handy.
I truly hope you get it all fixed right and get it finished tomorrow!!