will not time

[Doug orange]

I Bought a rebuilt 390 that will not time it runs OK at 34 BTC and the advance is working fine. It has a Mallory unilite distributor a Elgin E965P cam. I had the distributor in my old 390 and it worked fine. I check the cam to crank marks and they line up also with #1 up the balancer lines up on TDC it also has low manifold vacuum about 12 and the old motor had 17 any help would be appreciated

[trularin]

What do you mean, it will not time?

Is it jumpy all over?
IS it not visible?

How old is the engine?

A little bit more info would help.

[mr0077]

Yeah, I'm with Tru...describe what you mean by "it will not time".
You may want to drop back to square one and check everything: verify that the ignition wiring (firing order) is correct, and in the correct direction of rotation of the distributor (counterclockwise looking down at the distributor?); make sure you're using the #1 wire for timing; sounds like you've verified that timing marks line up when #1 (passenger-side front) piston is at TDC; at that point (#1 @ TDC on compression stroke) pop the cap off and verify that the rotor is pointing at or very near the terminal for #1 plug wire, if not, reinstall dist so they're close; if you're running MSD, use a standard timing light (or one you KNOW is compatible with MSD).
Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

[trularin]

If it is an older engine, and the timing is very eractic, you could have a timing chain problem.

With the dist. cap removed, use a breaker bar and turn the engine back and forth watching the rotor. If there is a lot of play in the crank, you could have a bad chain. On a scope this will have the "Snake" effect in the timing. Hard to time and will run like crap.

Just a thought.

[Edbo]

http://www.clubhotrod.com/t6237.html

Ed

[Clois Harlan]

I would start with the timing chain, also check these things:

1. Make sure you're distributor is not 180 degrees off

2. rotor on top of your distributor
Make sure the rotor is seated into your dist & the screws are
are tightened all the way.

3. Harmonic balancer...

4. Did you degree your cam?

[Doug orange]

Thanks for the quick response what I mean is the motor will not run at stock 6 BTC and has no low end

[CobraEd]

Is you vacum advance connected on the ported side of the carb, or on the side with constant vacum? You want the hose connected to the ported side where there is only vacum when you open the throttle, not a idle.

Ed

[SCOBRAC]

I'd never run an FE modern ignition at 6 btc. I'd start at 12 with 37 or 38 degrees total by 2800 rpm or so. It should Idle at 700-750.

[Sizzler]

Originally posted by SCOBRAC


I'd never run an FE modern ignition at 6 btc. I'd start at 12 with 37 or 38 degrees total by 2800 rpm or so. It should Idle at 700-750.

Yeah, what he said.

Maybe not 37 or 38 total though, 34 total?

[Clois Harlan]

My timing is set at 9 deg with total of 35 in by about 2800 RPM for street driving. When I race I may bump it up a little. I idle at about 900 RPM.

I agree that you may have your timing retarded too much. I believe the Ford Dist you have works very well with most ignition boxes.

I run a MSD billet dist and MSD 6AL ignition. Solid lifter cam and roller rockers.


Clois

[trularin]

Actually I think the 6 BTDC is stock, with the vac. advance disconnected, but plugged.

Sounds like the timing chain is either worn and has jumped a tooth ( more would be going on, but you never know ) or the timing chain set was offset.

You say you checked the harmonic balanced and it is dead on. Not that I would be suggesting anything, but,,, ... are you sure you are on # 1 cylinder?

My total timing is 32 degrees with 12 initial. But the engine runs at 0 degrees ( doggy and makes smelly fumes ).

Can you get on a scope?

[Doug orange]

My initial timing is 34 any lower and the paint on the headers peels off. The Mallory dist is mechanical advance This motor and timing chain has less then 100mile's. Is there a difference say from a 1967 timing set and a 1974 timing set? A place called motor works in Spokane Washington built it.Do I need to degree the cam?

[FFR428]

Doug, check out the "ripped off by motor works" thread on Club hot rod. Go to the FE forum there. Seems there are a few people who are having issues with engines from there. Not sure if you saw this or not but wanted to bring it to your attention. G.

[ted]

Doug,
I would highly recommend going back and degreeing in the camshaft as well as verifying that the TDC on the damper is indeed dead on. I've seen an Fe's off as much as 18° off on cam timing with the marks alligned and that was just due to the stackups all being positive on all four places that could affect this. The only way to verfiy TDC timing on the damper with the heads in place is to use a piston stop and rolling the engine in both directions so it rests against the stop on both sides of the TDC mark. If the TDC mark is correct, it will be dead in the center of the two locations that the piston contacted the stop.