I bought my truck a year ago. It's never impressed me much in terms of economy or power. I don't need the power, and only drive this one when I'd be tearing up my new one or needd a flatbed (3k per year) so I always figured I'd leave well enough alone. I changed the oil once in the past year and got new drive axle tires.

Anyway, mileage has been dropping to the point where I got 180 miles out of my last tank (mostly at 55 mph on country roads and some pulling my big mower out of the mud). I filled up with 28 gallons at 3.35 and knew something had to change. After all, my new truck, depreciation included was cheaper than this one now.

So I gave it a tune up. Spark plug electrodes were worn all the back to the ceramic. Plug wires were original (200k) and dist cap and rotor were severly worn. More so than any other one I;ve seen anyway. Did all that and not much difference other than the miss I had went away.

I got out the timing light and unplugged the SPOUT connector. It was way off. it was at 4 degrees btdc. So, I turned it. The idle shot way up. WOW, I thought!! I set it at 10 and went for a ride.

WOW!!! I think I found 75-100 HP. This was a different truck. The exhaust sounded different (tight now), and it just purred. I could roast the tires in second gear and was shifting at 4500 RPM. This thing would give my (much heavier) duramax a run for it's money now. I love it!!

I'm back down to put a new air filter and clean up the throttle body. I'm going to try running 12 degrees and see if I get any pinging. I don't have an emissions label (can anyone take a picture of one?).

 

What is this spout connector you unplugged when you timed you're truck? I have a ping that I can NOT get rid of. New heads, timing chain and gears, even pulled the front half back apart and double checked my timing, and was perfect. Even considering water injection.
Bob

 

the spout connector is basically the distributor lock for an efi engine. pulling it lets you adjust base timing without the computer trying to compensate. think of it as pulling the vacuum line off a vacuum advance distributor connected to manifold vacuum.

 

It's on the drivers fender about 3" away from the ignition module. It's a square grey plug with two wires leading to it. Just pull it out.

 

So how do I time my 3/4 ton 4X4 7.5L 460.

 

if its efi- do as described above. if its a carb- pull off the vacuum line from the base of the distributor, cap it off, hook up the timing light, loosen the bolt that clamps the distributor in place, and turn the distributor until the light flashes on about 10 degrees on the crank, then rehook the vacuum line- basically the only difference is you pull the spout on an efi, you pull the vacuum line on a carb

 

Wow. I would like to know how to do this. I also have been unhappy with the power of my 460 EFI.

So when you pull the SPOUT plug? Do you cap it off? Is it vacuum? Do you pull it off and do the timing and then re-connect?

 

you pull the plug, time it, and put it back in. It's electrical. It disables the computer controlled timing and leaves only the initial timing.

 

All of the EFI's that I have seen require 10 degrees as basic with the spout unplugged. I run the T-Bird a 12 degrees. I don't know if it helps, but I feel better about it.