Timing Problems
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Ridgecrest
Timing Problems
I have a 1965 F100. Supposedly, it has a 390, but the engine is stamped 352. My question is....... How bad is it to have the timing too far advanced? The truck has new plugs and wires, and all vacuum lines are intact. I checked and regapped the points, and rechecked them with a dwell meter. Everything looked good, until........ I went to set the timing. The chilton manual says to gap the plugs at .034, the points at .017, and set the timing at 6 degrees BTDC @ 550 RPM. When I used these parameters, the truck starts hard and idles rough. I reset the timing to almost 20 degrees BTDC which seemed to help, and adjusted the carburetor. It still runs rough, and I am afraid that I will damage the engine with the timing set this way. Also, I replaced the plugs with a set that is one heat step higher because the old ones were carbon fouled. I have only had this truck one month. It ran fine when I got it. When I initially checked the timing it was set at 12 degrees, but now, even at that setting it runs like crap. Can someone please help me understand what to do with this and how to fix it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thank you.
Jay
Jay
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From: oklahoma
Timing Problems
did you unhook the vac. advance when you were setting the timing? be sure and check the advance springs and weights in the distributor. they are prone to sticking. clean them up and put a little oil on the pivots. all the f e blocks are stamped 352.
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From: Ridgecrest
Timing Problems
Thank you Jim. Yes I did disconnect and plugged the vacumm at the distributor. I believe that everything inside the distributor is functioning fine but I will double check to be sure. @20* BTDC I'm getting plenty of high end power (65 to 80mph in no time flat). I really am worried though about burning up my valves or any other damage that might occur because of the advanced timing. I m going to pull the new plugs and read them. Maybe that will give me an idea about the timing and carb settings/condition. Also I'll try the old coat hanger to find #1 TDC then see where my rotor faces and what my timing marks say. Thanks again Jim.
Logistics Pro
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From: Sun River St. George
Timing Problems
No Ray, the pencil, wire is used to measure the stroke. Feeling the air (compression) is a trick used to find compression stroke on number 1 cylinder. After you have determined the engine is on the compression stroke (air prssure as the piston comes up), use the TDC mark on the vibration damper to set it at TDC (assuming the damper is correct). Then set the distributor so the rotor is pointing at no 1 post on the dist cap. This will get you in the ballpark. Best way is mark the rotor position before you pull the dist, and don't turn the engine over with the dist out.
William in Atlanta
William in Atlanta
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From: Winchendon MA
Timing Problems
It's common for the damper's outer ring to slip on the hub thus giving you a false TDC mark. When your checking the stroke varify the TDC.
44Dwarf
44Dwarf
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No Ray, the pencil, wire is used to measure the stroke. Feeling the air (compression) is a trick used to find compression stroke on number 1 cylinder. After you have determined the engine is on the compression stroke (air prssure as the piston comes up), use the TDC mark on the vibration damper to set it at TDC (assuming the damper is correct). Then set the distributor so the rotor is pointing at no 1 post on the dist cap. This will get you in the ballpark. Best way is mark the rotor position before you pull the dist, and don't turn the engine over with the dist out.
William in Atlanta
William in Atlanta
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From: Simi Valley, CA
390's were not available in F100/350's until 1968.
The 352 cast on the block is a foundry mark. It has nothing to do with the actual size of the engine.
Since all 352/360/390/410 & (most) 428 engine blocks were cast as 352's, that 352 foundry mark will be found on all of them.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Kenekeg: Found what worked for me in determining timing and rotor position is to place finger in #1 plug and turn the engine over and compression forces finger out, at which point, the timing marks should be on, or near, TDC, and the rotor aligned with #1 plug wire on the distributor cap. I am not familiar with 6 cyl. distributor positioning. Having said that, with the timing mark on TDC, then should be able to install, or reposition the distributor gear to where the rotor aligns with #1 plug on distributor cap. Perhaps more knowledgable member can provide input. Purchased a couple of cheap tune up tools found comes in handy; a remote start button, the type that connects to the battery and starter relay. The other tool is an inline spark test light where spark plug does'nt have to be removed. Thus, able to perform a quick check from under the hood, if marks are within ball park the engine should run and able to fine tune. Any adjustments to fuel mixture then best to recheck the timing. As noted, it's just a 'quick check' and only take a few min's.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Twin Cities
I can't remember if it was here, or somewhere else I read this, but I was having a terrible time setting the timing on my 66 with a 240 (and owning an aircooled VW, I'm VERY familiar with setting timing). The piece I read said that as an engine gets older, you might need to set the timing advanced a couple degrees, and I think it was because of wear in the distributor shaft. I followed that advice, and the truck ran perfectly after that.
