Holy smokes... I wan't trying to imply anything just looking for a little more info on your problem. If it makes you feel any better I have put a distributor in wrong myself... and recently. I had a pretty good idea what was wrong right away but everybody makes mistakes.

Now.. finding TDC on cyl #1 is pretty easy, remove the plug and crank the motor over by hand till you feel air pushing out the plug hole. Get a small piece of wire like a coat hanger and insert it in the hole so you can feel the piston rise, you'll know when it reaches TDC, and the timing mark on the balancer should line up as well. If the balancer mark doesn't line up you're still 180deg off, cycle the piston again. Then insert the distributor so the rotor points towards #1 on the cap when it's inserted. This is where it gets fuzzy and you could still be 1 tooth off because the distributor base has a range of movement too. In any case install it and the #1 plug but don't tighten down the distributor yes, try to start the motor first. If it cranks but won't start turn the distributor, if you end up with the TFI module right up against the thermostst housing or cranked way around the other way it's still 1 tooth off, shut her off and restab the dizzy. Now it should run and the distributor should have room to move in both directions, remove the spout plug and set base timing to 10deg or so.

 

there was something else wrong besides the distributor being 180° out of time. An engine won't run at all when the distributor is out that far.

 

umm, not really. funny i put the dist. 180* and it ran like a top. *shrug*

 

I think if you started out by saying you in fact HAD a 302 HO installed in your truck and described your problem, you would have gotten the help you wanted. But you did not do that, you made it sound like you wanted to convert an existing 302 into an HO. You said it was "tight" which in your parlance I think means it runs real good, then you talk about how it is out of time. It's no wonder those other guys who tried to help you were confused, I sure was. Then you run off a rant about how they are giving you smart*** answers and not helping you. I am suprised the other guys didn't just drop it right there. I guess some guys just wanna talk Ford trucks no matter what.

 

jas, hows that ol IDI treatin ya? i love mine!

 

you have to change the injector order as well move the plugs on the injectors

 

It's a good truck but I don't need it. You'll find it for sale in the classifieds if you need another one.

 

No you don't... not with the batch fired SD system.

 

my thoughts exactly, well said

 

You shouldnt have done Conanski like that he was one guy who could of helped you out...I got a 95 i put 5.0 ho in but its mass air i dont know that much about the older trucks but it sounds like your timing is off...Pull the #1 plug bring the piston to the top by turning the crank with wrench..you can insert something into the hole so you can feel the piston coming up you should be able to feel the preasure coming out if is on the comp stroke...turn the crank till the timing mark 0 TDC lines up with the pointer.....pull the dist cap off & see where it is pointing it should be at #1..if not pull dist & move to #1 leaving enough room to turn the dist to set timing...Then start it up & turn the dist tell its at 10 deg before TDC....I use somthing to mark the balencer so its easy to see...

 

How do you find TDC ?? Assuming the damper is correct for the engine, TDC is at zero on the scale. It comes around twice, once being the correct firing time and the other 180 degrees later. Bring it to zero, pop off the distributor and compare to # 1 wire. Once you have the 180 degree issue taken care of - hook up the timing light ...

 

Whoops, I finished reading page 1 and posted forgot about pg 2, sorry about that ..... I'll be ok tomorrow ....

 

thanks guys. sorry to have jumped the gun. truck had me down and felt like and idiot cause it wouldn't run right after a 10+ hour day of workin on it(putting the motor in and all;including having to swith intakes and all the acc.) and needed some thing to take it out on. next time i should work on getting my wood pile split up! and again thanks and tomorrow is another day to work on it after i get the tires rotated on the daily driver and my transfer tank pump fixed!

 

alright i got the distributor in right and the truck fires and i got it sitting at about 5 or 6 degrees bftdc. but it's still back firing and after you let outta the throttle it doesn't want to idle. any ideas? it sounds healthy when you rev it up with out moving and not too bad driving other than when you let out of the throttle you can hear it coughing. i dunno what to do other than maybe check the air idle sensor out a little farther. removing the emissions off the vehicle shouldn't do this should it? how about the pcv valve hose having a leak? i'm at a loss. just want my mud toy back.

 

Hey, I am starting to like this...
The best way to find TDC in #1 is to disconnect the coil, pull the plug on #1, have a helper *bump* the engine over when you place your finger over the plug opening and when the pressure blows your finger from the opening. THEN, take a flashlite and a small diameter screwdriver and check for the top of the piston.
Find #1 on the dist. and turn it where it's close. If you cant, remove and turn dist till you can line it up.
Let us know how it goes...