'90 EFI 351

I cant seem to find out what bolt is talked about when you loosen it to adjust timing. Haynes /Chilton have no pictures or futher references. My distributor has the inline big nut on the shaft (like the one on the egr pipe) and there is a tiny little bolt (1/8" maybe) on the housing that goes into a metal plate that turns 90 degrees into the distributor and goes into a piece of rubber. Im guessing this is the one. I dont want to touch it till i know for sure so i dont screw it up.

 

the bolt sits on a u shaped piece of metel that is bolted to the block. its like a clamp of sorts at the base of the dizzy

 

'90 EFI 351
Thanks. It was so obvious i didnt see it. Had a problem turning the distributor to adjust timing. Some Liquid wrench and a real wrench got it going. Dont know if it was ever even moved. Doubt it.

My timing was 20 BTC. I adjusted it to 10 BTC (as the big sticker says under the hood, spout connector off ....) and took it for a test drive.
Pinging is totally gone!!. I think timing was off since i bought it 3 years ago. Plus it has a lot more power at lower speeds. Highway always seemed finebefore but maybe thats because timing advances more at high speeds.

By the way i notice my RPMs seem to be about 100-200 higher in general now when driving on the highway or higher speeds.
I assume this means the engine is running much better. The last six months it seemed to want to stall when idling and shuddered when just touching the gas! Now thats dissapeared.

Thanks Again.

Now on to the next problem.

 

It sounds to me like the PO of your Bronco tried to set the timing but did not remove the SPOUT as he should have.

Right now I have mine set at the factory spec of 10* BTDC with the SPOUT removed. Once fuel prices come back down to somewhere close to normal, I will get under there and reset the timing to 12* BTDC and see how it does.

Just remember anytime you want to set/check the timing you MUST remove the SPOUT.

 

Street ... I'm deff no mechanic, and the only things ive really learned is the stuff that breaks on my 91 EFI 5.0. I go here everythime i have a problem. I have replace plugs, wires and dist. cap along with a new egr tube and manifold and my truck is still idleing for crap and it really sounds like its a timing thing (o yeah also ran injector cleaner, and cleaned out the intake). When you say spout what exactly do you mean. Also, when it comes to doing the timing where exactly do i find the timing points. My truck deff is dirty and im sure im not looking at any of the right spots. Could u give me a walk through? I have the timing light and im ready to get this thing running like a champ.

 

What you will NEED to do right off the bat is buy a service manual....Haynes or Clymer will do just fine....or get a Ford repair CD for your year/engine range. The SPOUT connector has to do with timing advance and the ECU. The timing marks are on the harmonic balancer, and the pointer is mounted to the block.....connect the light to the #1 spark wire and to the battery....pull the SPOUT and start the truck. Aim the light to the correct spot on the balancer and you will see where your timing is at right now. If you need to adjust it.....loosen the dizzy and turn it a tiny bit...... until the marks line up

Chances are you will have to clean up the balancer so you can see the timing marks.....just use some brake-clean and then go over the timing marks with a white chalk so they stand out real nice.

You should get a manual FIRST though!

 

Pass side of motor looking down the front of the water pump there is a little pointer on top of the harmonic balancer. Be sure to clean the crude off the balancer,(scotch brite pad works well for this) and find the marking's on it you looking for the one that reads 10 btc.
Use a piece of chalk or something that you can see easily and mark the line clearly.
Once that has been hook up your light so it is attached to the #1 terminal. Some inductive lights clip on and some have to be mounted between cap terminal and wire.
The spout is a connector located very near the distributor and has a couple of wires that run into the connector basically jumpering them back to each other. Most have gray connectors.
Then start truck while being suire all wires are out of the way of moving parts. Be sure to leave light so you cna get to passenger side again and at this time pull the trigger. If all is done right it should read the mark you made at the pointer.
If not turn truck off loosen distributor bolt. Leav it tight enough to turn by hand hand but not so loose it moves on its own. Adjust the timing by slowly turning the distributor till it is right as the pointer.
Shut truck down tighten distributor till it cant move anymore by hand and reconnect the spout.
Good luck.

 

Ok cool ... i have the manual ... i deff look through it alot ... but it didnt really have alot photo-wise so that kinda held me back. I looked around a figured out were the spot is and im gonna clean it up in the am b4 work if i have time. ok so here comes another ignorant question (but i guess u dont learn w/o questions, so im swollowing my pride hehehe) when i point the light at the mark what am i gonna see? when i was attempting it earlier i deff just got a blinking light? ... if thats what im supposed to get then how do i read the blinking?

 

With the light triggered by the number one spark plug wire, the light will blink each time that plug fires. Pointing the light at the timing marks on the harmonic balancer and the timing cover, the light will illuminate the marks as the spark plug fires. The line on the harmonic balancer will always be in about the same spot as the crankshaft spins it. The marks on the timing cover show zero (or Top Dead Center/TDC) and several degrees Before Top Dead Center (BTDC) and several degrees After Top Dead Center(ATDC). The base timing is where the line on the harmonic balancer shows up when the timing light flashes. To adjust, make sure the engine is at full operating temperature, remove the SPOUT connector, start the truck and see what the reading is. Turning the distributor clockwise advances the base timing and counterclockwise retards the base timing. Advance sends the timing ATDC and retarding sends it BTDC. The zero mark is TDC. Check the Catalyst decal under the hood to make certain but your truck should be running with the base timing set at about 10-12 degrees BTDC. When the mark on the harmonic balancer shows up under the timing light flash in line with the mark for 10* BTDC, you are pretty close to being on the money. Once set, shut the engine off and tighten the distributor clamp bolt to lock things in place. Replace the SPOUT connector, disconnect the battery for about five-ten minutes, then go for a drive for about a half hour making sure you do some city and some highway driving. This will clear any errors codes generated by pulling the SPOUT connector and allow the ECM (computer) to "relearn" the engine parameters.

 

Thanks wasnt on whenthe question was asked.Also GREAT signature.
thenewjohndeere let us know if you need any farther assistance.

 

ok so that didnt help ... still runs like crap. :-/. Ran by advanced and had them run it through there diagnostics thing(i know everything has a techinical name, but i never remember it)

I got a KOEO code 111, and a memory code of 111, and a KOER code of 311.
They didnt know what they ment but i reassured them that my boys here on the forum would know. So does anyone know what these mean. I'd love to get this fixed myself or by someone who knows and loves broncos. b/c i dont really want to take it to the ford place where some honda driving guy will tell me a tall tell.

o yeah lattice ... just got looking, my bad on jumpin in on your post

 

The 111.s are pass or no fault codes and indicate that everything is fine. The 311 code is "Thermactor air system inoperative (right side)" got that from www.fordfuelinjection.com Not exactly sure what the deal with that is?????

 

Double check that the vacuum lines running to the Thermactor diverter valve (behind the pass. side cylinder head between it and the firewall) are both connected. If they are intact, follow the lines back to the TAB and TAD solenoids mounted near the ignition coil on the top driver's side of the engine. Make sure the vacuum lines are connected and double check the wiring harness connections to each of the solenoids (2). If all appears to be in good order, there is a test to determine if one of the solenoids has failed. Its rather involved and requires a meter to perform the test. I can relay how to perform the test if needs be.

Just FYI, the literal translation of CODE 311 is a Thermactor air system failure which means, for whatever reason, the fresh air supply through it is not getting where it should. The system utilizes the smog pump, the plumbing from it into the heads and down to the cat., and the diverter valve in conjunction with the TAB & TAD solenoids to control the airflow. The ECM (EEC-IV computer) controls the airflow with the TAB & TAD solenoids.

 

o ok, well the mechanic who replced my passangerside manifold said that he broke a vacum line and fixed it .... u think that he just never reset the computer and its giving the old redout? or do you think that he did a crappy job fixing it?

o so todays update is, my timing is deff off by 4 degrees i think, and im debating weither or not to tackle the whole project or not. its been such a headache that im about to get off my cheap butt and pay someone to do it. i understand how to do it and all the steps on doing it, but i guess im just tooo ticked to try and fix it.

but ill deff check out the vacum lines tommarrow after work

 

If he replace the passenger side manifold, the main plumbing pipe from the smog pump to the diverter valve is mounted to the engine via tabs that are bolted through the manifold bolts. Make sure he put it all BACK! I'll see if I can scare up a photo of the assembly but the plumbing diagram is on the under-hood decal. If you aren't sure whether the codes are even genuine, disconnect the battery for about ten minutes, reconnect and try the test again. If the code comes up again, the problem still exists.