351w timing help!
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Pulaski, TN
351w timing help!
i have a 78 f100 with a 351w that come out out of a 74 ltd, i have completley rebuilt the motor- stock crank and cam, .030 bore edelbrock performer intake holly 650 4 barrel carb., it had no timing mark on it so i tuned it by ear and tuned the carb as best as i could, it ran fine for a while but not running good anymore, i took it to a real good ford mechanic in my area, he told me to get a timing mark for it then he could set the timing and tune the carb properly, i have had a lot of trouble fing one, all i found was a mark for a 302 which had the same timing cover as my 351 but it doesnt seem at all right. Where can i find the right timing mark? Do i have any other options? i have a lot of money invested in it, i lost my job and this truck is my only tranportation to look for work. thanks for any input!
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
If you have marks on the balancer all you need is a piece of rigid wire like a clothes hanger. Bring #1 piston up to TDC on the compression stroke and then install a bent piece of wire on one of the timing cover bolts with the end pointing at 0 on the timing marks.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,071
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From: British Columbia
The timing marks might have changed between 1974 and 1978. There's a chance that the outer damper ring and thus the timing marks could have moved as well.
I would turn the engine until I guessed it is close to TDC, remove #1 spark plug and insert a thin rod down the hole until it touched the piston top. Then turn the crank back and forth to find the top dead center judging by movement of the rod. A T-handle on a socket is good for this as ratcheting action is undesirable.
Greater accuracy is obtained with a dial gauge with a long rod. If this is available, then zero the gauge at TDC, then turn crank until gauge reads +.050" and mark the damper. Now turn the crank back past TDC to -.050" and make another mark. The midpoint of these marks is an accurate TDC.
I would turn the engine until I guessed it is close to TDC, remove #1 spark plug and insert a thin rod down the hole until it touched the piston top. Then turn the crank back and forth to find the top dead center judging by movement of the rod. A T-handle on a socket is good for this as ratcheting action is undesirable.
Greater accuracy is obtained with a dial gauge with a long rod. If this is available, then zero the gauge at TDC, then turn crank until gauge reads +.050" and mark the damper. Now turn the crank back past TDC to -.050" and make another mark. The midpoint of these marks is an accurate TDC.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Pulaski, TN
the marks are still on the balancer. the timing mark i got on there now is the one off of a 302 that i found at a salvage yard, it has a point at the top and a hole at the bottom-im unsre which is supposed to be the correct mark. i highlighted 10 degree and it ran like crap when i lined it up with the top pointed mark but ran better when i set it to the hole on the timing mark but it still didnt sound right- it still had a slight miss to it. 10 degrees is what the american motors book said, is that right?
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,071
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From: British Columbia
Timing
Ten degrees BTC should be a good base timing position. I don't know the specification for that year though.
The timing could still be off if the two engines had timing pointers in different places on the timing cover. For instance, if one engine had the TDC mark on the timing cover at the 10 o'clock position and the other had it at 11 o'clock, the dampers would have their marks in different places also.
Just sticking the coat hanger wire in the spark plug hole as Conanski suggests would tell you if your timing mark is on. That should be your first step.
Also, the timing chain might be off a tooth as could the distributor.
The timing could still be off if the two engines had timing pointers in different places on the timing cover. For instance, if one engine had the TDC mark on the timing cover at the 10 o'clock position and the other had it at 11 o'clock, the dampers would have their marks in different places also.
Just sticking the coat hanger wire in the spark plug hole as Conanski suggests would tell you if your timing mark is on. That should be your first step.
Also, the timing chain might be off a tooth as could the distributor.
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