Timing trouble
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Timing trouble
Hi, I have a stock 1971 old distributor in my 351m and i tunned and checked the timming once i started the engine, seemed fine and sounded preetty fast, but after an hour of running i could tell by the sound it made by turning it off and starting it again (slow and retarded ignition) (besides the obvious loss in power) that it retarded it self. I thought at first it could be the alternator but the readings are fine, then the battery, I tried 4 already. Also without touching it, I leave the engine for 30 minutes alone, start it again and timming goes back to normal. what could be causing this ? thanx
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2007
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yep, and it reads at first 12bbtw then goes to 4, till the engine is soretarded that it takes like 5 min to start. Im buying a new distributer but what if it si something else?
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MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
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From: Austin, TX
That's really odd. That almost sounds like the distributor isn't bolted down tight enough. Or maybe it is tightened, but somehow the distributor is rotating anyway. On my truck, I can't take my hand off of the distributor once I've got it set, until I tighten down the bolt first, otherwise it will move on me. I really don't know if a new distributor is going to help, but if you're 100% sure the timing chain is OK, that is probably what I would be doing too. Unless, perhaps, the distributor hold-down clamp is warped and it's not holding on to the distributor, like I first alluded to. Can't say I've seen that happen before, though.
Last edited by fmc400; Dec 15, 2007 at 04:28 PM.
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Utah
With that year dist. I am assuming it is points. The plate that moves for vac advance is what the points are mounted to and the piviot bushing gets woreout and moves around it changes the point gap. And it will affect the timing.
Last edited by 75crewcab; Dec 17, 2007 at 08:14 PM.
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I wonder if there's something going on with the vacuum advance. Try measuring the amount of vacuum you're getting at the point where the vacuum advance piping connects to the distributor. It could be that there's something clogging the plumbing. It could be slowly building vacuum through the clog and then slowly releasing it later.