OK - I searched the forum for info so I didn't have to create a new post on this subject, but I still need to be enlightened, so here is my situation:

I apologize for being long-winded here, but I thought I did everything right.

I recently changed out the plug wires, points, cap, and rotor on my '64 F-100 292. I replaced the old wires one by one, so as to keep the firing order straight. Motor ran a little better, but still not great. I would attribute this to the carb being a bit out of adjustment since I just rebuilt it. The motor would idle and drive, but when I try to accelerate, it would fall on it's face. So I decided to replace the vaccuum advance last night. Got that on, and I thought it would be a good idea to make sure that the firing order was correct. So I cranked the engine by hand until the timing mark was pointing to 0 degrees (which I assume is TDC?). I pulled the cap off, and made note of where the rotor was, and marked that on the outside of the cap so I woulod know which wire should be #1. Then, using the manual (i got a copy of the firing order table from this site) I checked the wires. #1 was off by 3 places from where the rotor was pointing, so I just decided to pull them all off and start from scratch. So I put #1 on the spot above where the rotor was pointing (with the timing mark pointing to 0 on the crank). Then I put the the rest of the wires on in order, CCW, and double-checked my work. I didn't have a piece of vac line to hook up the vac advance to the carb, but I figured that wouldn't matter for now cause I just wanted to see how it would idle. All it does is spit gas and flames out the top of the carb. It doesn't even want to think about starting. I tried moving the distributor CW a little and then CCW, a little at a time but this didn't help. I moved that distributor all over the place and nothing seems to get me there.

Have I missed something?

 

You know, this used to be a very very VERY long issue of mine... My engine seemed to just keep having weird problems, carb popping, backfiring, poor idle, very poor acceleration, lack of power, the whole bit...

Let me just say that YOU CANNOT TRUST THE TIMING MARKS ON THE HARMONIC BALANCER (DAMPER)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pull #1 plug, and stick your finger in there and feel when the piston comes up. Obviously turn over the engine by hand slowly, until you think the piston is at TDC (accuracy of TDC is not important in this part). Now look at the timing marks on the harmonic balancer. Are the marks anywhere close to being properly lined up???

These harmonic balancers on Y-blocks are notorious for slippage. I've been talking to a lot of Y-block guys recently who all agree that these things can slip quite a bit over time.

That would be the very first thing I would check...

 

Thanks - I'll try that tommorrow.

 

Check your ditributor rotation.I have seen the plug wires backwards!!!!

 

Distributor rotor rotates counter-clockwise.

 

Got it. I'm going to work on it tommorrow morning after the rain stops. I'll post my results...

 

I checked the Balancer as stated above, and the marks are correct. Just for grins, I stuck my finger in the spark plug hole and cranked the motor over until I saw TDC on the balancer again...and air came out of the hole. The rotor was 180 degrees from where I had #1 plug wire. So I put the #1 wire above the new rotor position and re-did the wires and WOO-HOO! she fired right up, and purrs like a kitten now!

Thanks for the help! I am now enlightened...

 

Yes sir, I love that feeling!