84 2.3 Timing issues.

[ozziemo27]

So I have at least 8 hours of dicking with this timing/engine issue. This is on my 84 2.3 carbed engine. I bought a rebuilt engine that had sat for a long time and i prettied it up, did all the seals, etc, so i swapped it out and now am doing the timing. At first it wouldn't start at all. I set it to somewhere inbetween 5-10 TDC and set the rotor to the cap to align it to the first cylinder. and then i would tighten down the cap, and snug the distributor clamp down a bit and try and crank it. After screwing around with it i finally got it somewhat right and i rotated it counter clockwise as far as it would go and I got it to kind of run. It would barely run and I would have to keep it floored and it would spurt mists of gas out the top of the carb. I read about a spout connector? Is that the vacuum line going into that thing off the distributor or is that the wiring harness that plugs into it? Do i have to set it to a certain degrees, does it have to be perfect? I put a new timing belt on and the crank and camshaft pulley marks line up right. What am I doing wrong? I can get a timing light but I don't know what the point is if i cant get the truck to run by itself. Could anyone give me a hand? i've read and checked basically everywhere, mustang forums, this forum, etc, i'm running out of patience.

 

[ozziemo27]

Wow, WTF? I went out this afternoon to screw with it some more and it started and ran like it was nothing! Its not running perfect but its running pretty good! can you say weird??? It wont idle by itself but im sure its cuz i have a couple vac lines missing, i'll have to track those down... Wow.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Slow down and take your time you should have a vacuum diagram on the radiator support go through and make sure you have the vacuum hoses correct and all vacuum leaks fixed. unplug the vacuum to the distributor and plug the hose and set the timing with a light you will never get it right by earball. You dont have a spout you have the duraspark ignition. get it timed correct tighten the dizzy and check it then plug the vacuum back into the dizzy. That is the vacuum advance once you get the timing right and if the engine dont idle check the wires going to the idle control motor as a matter of fact check all the connectors and wires get some dielectric grease to put them back together with to protect from moisture sounds like your close just take you time and make sure everything is plugged in wires and grounds (sand metal to metal) are good. Then you can start troubleshooting.

 

[ozziemo27]

Slow down and take your time you should have a vacuum diagram on the radiator support go through and make sure you have the vacuum hoses correct and all vacuum leaks fixed. unplug the vacuum to the distributor and plug the hose and set the timing with a light you will never get it right by earball. You dont have a spout you have the duraspark ignition. get it timed correct tighten the dizzy and check it then plug the vacuum back into the dizzy. That is the vacuum advance once you get the timing right and if the engine dont idle check the wires going to the idle control motor as a matter of fact check all the connectors and wires get some dielectric grease to put them back together with to protect from moisture sounds like your close just take you time and make sure everything is plugged in wires and grounds (sand metal to metal) are good. Then you can start troubleshooting.

so i unplug the vacuum line comin from the dizzy, plug it up, time it by twisting the dizzy back and forth, and judge by the unplugged and plugged timing reading and plug er back in and go on my way? And I don't understand what that little vacuum diagram is describing there are lots of little acronyms.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Yea I know what you mean I checked your diagram out in my chiltons. Basically the diagram shows you the front of the engine and the vacuum lines and parts are in the general area as the diagram. Start from the carb and just trace them one at a time hopefully you have all the pieces still just get as much as you can hooked up the big ones are easy it is all the other stuff you may or may not need depending if you need to pass emissions visual test. PCV EGR carbon cannister vacuum advance and air pump. vcv vacuum control valve, acv air control valve,sol v solenoid, cprv carbon cannister relay valve in line, vreser coffee can, int man intake manifold,a/cl dv door on filter housing,9a-fv check valve the rest I dunno. The best way to check for vacuum leaks is to get the engine running and take a length of vacuum hose and go around to all the fittings and gaskets hold one end up to your ear and take the other end and put it in the carb to see what sound your looking for be careful of moving parts and search around the carb and all vacuum related gaskets and hoses you can pinpoint a leak that way. I have a copper wire ground wire taped to the end of the hose to get in tite places leave the end open. Makes a good stethescope and yea time it like that hook the vacuum back up to it and with the light rev the engine up to about 3000 rpm and see how far it advances on a v-6 it goes to about 37 degrees before top dead center BTDC. Let us know what you find out ok.

 

[ozziemo27]

Yea I know what you mean I checked your diagram out in my chiltons. Basically the diagram shows you the front of the engine and the vacuum lines and parts are in the general area as the diagram. Start from the carb and just trace them one at a time hopefully you have all the pieces still just get as much as you can hooked up the big ones are easy it is all the other stuff you may or may not need depending if you need to pass emissions visual test. PCV EGR carbon cannister vacuum advance and air pump. vcv vacuum control valve, acv air control valve,sol v solenoid, cprv carbon cannister relay valve in line, vreser coffee can, int man intake manifold,a/cl dv door on filter housing,9a-fv check valve the rest I dunno. The best way to check for vacuum leaks is to get the engine running and take a length of vacuum hose and go around to all the fittings and gaskets hold one end up to your ear and take the other end and put it in the carb to see what sound your looking for be careful of moving parts and search around the carb and all vacuum related gaskets and hoses you can pinpoint a leak that way. I have a copper wire ground wire taped to the end of the hose to get in tite places leave the end open. Makes a good stethescope and yea time it like that hook the vacuum back up to it and with the light rev the engine up to about 3000 rpm and see how far it advances on a v-6 it goes to about 37 degrees before top dead center BTDC. Let us know what you find out ok.

yea, no inspections for anything, i can hear the vacuum leaks for sure, It doesn't have a tach so its good luck the RPMs

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Any luck getting it to idle

 

[ozziemo27]

Any luck getting it to idle

that vacuum advance on the distributor was unplugged and i found that and plugged it in on the manfiold so now it idles. It shoots fire out the carb when i start but then it idles and runs fairly well, timing is still off for sure.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

cool it looks like you need to set the timing at 8 degrees BTDC it should say under the hood as long as it is a 84 engine 6 degrees if it is a 83 any luck tracing the vacuum lines and fixing the leaks. sounds like you close tho.

 

[ozziemo27]

cool it looks like you need to set the timing at 8 degrees BTDC it should say under the hood as long as it is a 84 engine 6 degrees if it is a 83 any luck tracing the vacuum lines and fixing the leaks. sounds like you close tho.

haven't been working on it that much, been puttin in alot of hours lately. What should that timing be at, when its cranking or when its at a certain rpms?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

set it at 8 dbtdc at a idle with the dizzy advance unplugged

 

[ozziemo27]

set it at 8 dbtdc at a idle with the dizzy advance unplugged

lol, at idle is a good question too, i wonder at what rpm i should set idle, if i were to get a tach, right now its idleing way too low and it makes the truck shake pretty good.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

The idle speed control module should control the idle. Is it connected to the idle motor on the base of the carb it has a plunger that opens and closes the throttle depending on the rpm and are you firing on all the cylinders with a par of long pliers pull the wires off the dizzy one at a time and see it the idle changes. if you pull a wire and the idle dont change it is in that cylinder somewhere.

 

[ozziemo27]

The idle speed control module should control the idle. Is it connected to the idle motor on the base of the carb it has a plunger that opens and closes the throttle depending on the rpm and are you firing on all the cylinders with a par of long pliers pull the wires off the dizzy one at a time and see it the idle changes. if you pull a wire and the idle dont change it is in that cylinder somewhere.

if there is a idle speed control module then what is with the idle adjusting screw?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

are you talking idle air adjustment or the one that holds the throttle open the one that holds the throttle open is called a anti deisel screw it keeps the throttle from closing too far when you let your foot off the gas. when you turn the antideisel screw to where it is not touching does the idle motor control the idle. How are you making out on getting the vacuum lines and leaks plugged.