Since your freshening up everything, ignition wise, I would think about replacing the coil pickup. From my experiences, it has went out on me more then once. From what I've heard most mechanics usually replace it when they replace the module.

There is a test you can do to test the coil pickup with it in the truck. If you type in coil pickup or coil pickup test, you will probably find it. Someone will probably chime in to tell you how. When mine went out it caused spatting and hissing back through the carb and also hard starting.

Personally instead of going to the trouble of changing the pickup in the distributor, I just yank mine out and take it to either Autozone or Advance and trade it in for a whole new distributor with a lifetime warranty. I don't know about 360's but a replacement distributor for a 460 is only $49.99 plus your old core. Then you have a whole new distributor with a new coil pickup already installed for not much more. Get you a good cap and rotor with the brass pickups instead of the alumium ones. They hold up better. I ordered an Accel cap & rotor with the brass pickups at Advance. It wasn't but just a few bucks more then the cheaper ones they sell.

Just some thoughts to chew on. Good Luck to you. I better get some . After I finsh mowing tomorrow I want to finish getting my motor ready to fire up to break in the cam.

 

ok so i got a new module and finished up the carb. adjusted the choke according to a walk through i found online.

But its still backfiring and the choke is ALL THE WAY open and the engine is warm. if i hold the choke shut and rev it it wont back fire at all. Can anybody gimme some pointers on setting the choke???

 

Check the well written post by fmc400 in this thread.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...2150-help.html

 

Im starting to hate Carbd engines!!! ok so i followed the write up and adjusted the choke. ok.
why the hell else would it backfire through the carb!!! i redid my timing set it at 10btdc. adv it and retarded it and took it for a spin both times i adjusted it and still back firing. but wen i retarded it it backfired through the exhaust as well. and its shot a flame out once or twice

This is so aggrivating!!!!

Browsing autozones website i found this diagram for the firing order. but the arrow says its the back of the engine. i would think itd be the front...?

 

I had this problem on my 77 f250 with 351m, after checking timing, we tore into the carb and it seems the previous rebuild on the carb which was done before i got it had been lacking some parts! The springs for the metering rods were missing! I bought a package containing 5 sets and worked through it until i found the most suitable. Cured all my problems for 12.99

 

The front of the engine is to the right, >>>>>>>

 

I would go back to the carb, it sure sounds like it's starving for fuel.

 

i don't think it's the carb, when you put you're foot in it it kinda sounds like it cant keep up with you, it's getting too much fuel at once and the ignition box/module cannot keep up, and when you let off, the fuel that was dumped through the intake lights off,causing it to backfire.

because they couldn't perfect the ignition in the 70s,

my truck has had the same problem since i got it 4 years ago,
im only 17 and ive gone through 3 boxes , 2 coils and 2 sets of plug wires.
i bought a standard points distributor on ebay yesterday for $10.00 and they work better than those older make magnetic points do.so ill see how it goes and let you know

 

WHOA i found what your problem is, i removed my distributor to put the standard points in and one of the teeth on the Gear sheared off of the old distributor.

when you punch it, there is a delay in the rotation, causing the spark not to reach the plug in time for ignition, so the box is firing but the distributor was too slow.im still putting the regular distributor in but it might be something you'd want to look at.

 

74390 let me know how that works out, im having the same problem in my truck. 302 with holley 600 i believe. if it fixes the problem, what kind standard point distributor did you buy?

 

Did you happen to check for vacuum leaks ? Like the all the hoses, carb base plate gasket, brake booster, EGR valve bad or burnt out, EGR valve spacer gasket or intake manifold gasket..

 

the distributor did the trick for me, it was just a stock motorcraft distributor that was made for a 390. and i juuuuust put the holley on my intake and doubled up on gaskets so vaccum is not an issue

 

my brother had the same issue but it turned out to be a burned valve

 

I have a 77 f150 with a 400 in it. It was backfiring out the carb at idle. I checked the distributor, points at #1 at TDC. Does it need to be retarded or advanced? Now it won't even crank with a charged battery.

 

try getting it dead on at first, it should start the advance it 10 degrees