Hey guys,
I just recently re-timed my 86 f-150, 300 6, and when I did that I found my timing was all advanced to hell. Timed it to 10 BTDC and thought I would be unlocking all kinds of power.

Now my truck can barely get out of it's own way! I know that an I6 is no speed demon, but I can barely reach 70 with 3.08 gears. Before I did all this my truck would run! Now it can't even jog.

Anybody got any ideas?

Thanks,
Greg

 

It sounds like a computer/distributor problem. The '86 has a TFI ignition and the computer controls the advance. Someone had figured this out before and advanced the distributor to compensate for the loss of advance.

Also, when you timed it, did you use the marks on the passenger side of the engine?

If you used the correct marks - I would look into a new distributor module.

 

I used the marks on the timing cover, driver's side.

I just had to re-advance it by ear to where it idled where I'd set it myself before. Ya, I know, an ear's just about worthless, but I wasn't listening for timing, I was listening for RPM. I have mine set high for my own reasons.

So does anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks,
Greg

 

Timing marks are on the passenger side of the engine.

 

Have you checked your harmonic dampener pulley? I just replaced mine... The rubber was sticking out the back of it by almost .25" (really about to fail), and there was evidence that it had twisted about 15 degrees. If yours has done this, it will put your timing marks off, relative to the crank. With mine, you couldn't tell that it was bad from the front though, so take a look all around it.

 

I set mine to 14* and it woke the truck right up

 

Time the truck off the pointer on the passenger side of the engine. Disregard the marks cast into the cover on the driver’s side.

 

whats the point in the marks on the driverside any ways

 

okay, this is a new experience for me.

How exactly do you time from the passenger's side?

Also, is it normal to NOT have a harmonic balancer? I had to check my timing gears recently and I found NO harmonic balancer. All I have is a crankshaft pulley.

Thanks,
Greg

 

The crank pulley and balancer are one assembly.

 

To date No one can tell me what the marks cast into the cover were used for. Some of the very first 300's have these marks but time onnthe indicator on the passenger side.

 

Okay, one problem solved.

But again, how exactly do I go about timing from the passenger's side? My Haynes manual only covers timing from the driver's side.

Thanks,
Greg

 

Not really any different that timing on the drivers side - just clean the area good so you can see the marks.

 

Hi here is an answer to timing ,that I had written to another person on this board some time back. I hope it helps.This is based on an EFI 1990 300 that I own.

Hi, Ok here goes. Ford in all its infinite wisdom put two sets of timing marks on the 300. There is one set on the right hand side near the top of the timing cover, these marks are cast in the cover. These naturally are the WRONG marks. On the left side (passenger)of the timing cover where you can't see them are the right marks. They are on a metal plate bolted to the cover using the cover bolts. The vibration damper also has two sets of marks, wouldn't you know it! There is a large square notch , nope not the right one . There is also a very thin scribed line on the damper, yep that is the right one. .
To do this right, slide under the engine and clean off the thin scribe line and paint it white and while you are under there you can see the bolted on timing mark on the cover there is a large triangle cut in the plate , that is 10 degrees before TDC the correct setting .YOU CAN STOP HERE IF YOU WANT TO USE THE HARD TO SEE MARKS , I REMARKED THE DAMPER TO USE THE CAST MARKS(drivers side), THAT YOU CAN SEE. IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT READ ON. Pull your distributor cap and crank the engine until the rotor points at number one cyl on the cap.Then see if you can see the alignment of the timing mark on the damper and the mark on the bolt on plate, its easier when the engine isn't running and you can stick your head in there without loosing half of it. Your timing marks should be some where near each other. Crank the engine to align the 0 degree mark and the mark on the damper, don't worry about the distributor position. Just line up the marks. Then go to the right side of the cover with the cast in marks( that you can see) and mark the damper with white something, paint even whiteout works.Now you have a new timing mark that you can see. Pull the spout, yes it is in the same harness as the distributor connector, its a gray jumper.Put the cap back on. Start the engine and use your new marks to set the timing at 10 degrees before TDC.
Of course this only works if your cover has the cast in marks, I have a 90 and it has the marks. I have just finished assembling the engine and found out that the engine was set using the damper line and the cast in marks. I figure the engine was running 40 degrees retarded, but MAN did ever start quick in any weather with any oil at any temp.
There are other way to do this but it takes too long to describe them here.Sorry I almost forgot. When you mark the damper with the new mark it should be marked the same as the left side original, i.e.--
if the original marks are aligned at 0 you should paint your new mark to align at 0 also, if the original is at say 6 your new mark should be painted to be in line with 6 on the cast marks and so on.


Stractor

 

Thanks for posting that info again stractor. I did that to mine today and now I can actually turn the distributor and look at the marks at the same time .. I have absolutely no idea what those marks are for on the driver's side... I've seen them on every 300 that I can remember ranging from late 70's to 95.. Did ford ever use a different balancer on the 300? I know it's different for the serp. belt versus v-belts but they still use the same timing marks. maybe industrial applications have different balancers that use the other marks???