how do you check the timeing??????

[davidkfannin]

i have spark and i have fuel but it still wont start it turns over all day long!

 

[master hec0]

even with the timing off i would think that you would still get a misfire at least. timing light is the way you check it but if you cant get it running thats out the question. you can adjust timing by loosing the bolt on the distributor and turning it by hand to adjust timing and then for a more accurate measurement you would use the light. when did it stop running? were you messing with anything? maybe your firing order is wrong? and how did you determin that you had spark and fuel?

 

[Original_Ranger84]

It might also be that its 180 off? Did you completely remove the distributor? Because unless you messed with the distributor the timing should be atleast close to correct and thus run more or less.

I would be interested into knowing exactly what you did to the truck before it stopped running if it even ran before if you just got it or something?

 

[copperminer2002]

Read the thread just above yours, need help truck won't start. Maybe that will help you with the timeing.

 

[7111127]

i have spark and i have fuel but it still wont start it turns over all day long!

check your oil mine was full of coolant lol

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Read the thread just above yours, need help truck won't start. Maybe that will help you with the timeing.

Do what? I'm trying to figure out what he did or what the PO did to cause the truck to not turn over. if timing was even close to correct hec0 is right it would fire once inawhile atleast. Actually come to think of it, it should also fire or back fire once in awhile if its 180 off. If it has both fuel and spark somehitng just isn't right. Whats your plug gap?and check your TFI modual.

To time a 2.8L it usually helps to have it running, if its not running this won't really help... What you want is TDC of the #1 Piston (this is where it can be a problem because it could be on the compression or exhaust stroke and theres really no way to tell...) unless you follow the plug wire back to the distributor, remove the cap, and check to see if the rotor is positioned under where your wire went. If it is and you hadn't removed the dizzy then you have a spark or fuel problem. If its the opposite of where the #1 wire is then its 180 off... in this case you have to lift the distributor out enough to turn the rotor 180 and then back in.

There is a plate with a 10mm? bolt on the back of the engine at the base of the dizzy. Loosen this just enough to where you can turn the distributor, Hook up your timing light to the number one plug wire and the battery, and either have a buddy crank the engine or have a remote button and turn the engine over pointing the light down towards the crank pulley. It will have numbers and markings on it. as you turn it over the the light will flash hopefully as the the markings go by a needle. Note if you have a TFI dizzy you need to unplug the advance on it, this should be a single wire going into the module. As you turn the distributor SLOWLY one way or the other the markings should move as well. I believe I have mine set at 10 dOC or maybe 8? either one of those should work to atleast get it running.

 

[davidkfannin]

even with the timing off i would think that you would still get a misfire at least. timing light is the way you check it but if you cant get it running thats out the question. you can adjust timing by loosing the bolt on the distributor and turning it by hand to adjust timing and then for a more accurate measurement you would use the light. when did it stop running? were you messing with anything? maybe your firing order is wrong? and how did you determin that you had spark and fuel?

well it ran today but it took the battery charger\starter to get it started and it took forever but i drove it around for a bit and it was fine after i let it sit for an hour it hesitated for a minute and then started up. but i still need to check the timeing i guess what is a timing light and where do i get one and how much are they? if the fireing order is wrong then it wouldnt start would it? and i think it might have to do with the weather some how, but probly not huh?

 

[davidkfannin]

It might also be that its 180 off? Did you completely remove the distributor? Because unless you messed with the distributor the timing should be atleast close to correct and thus run more or less.

I would be interested into knowing exactly what you did to the truck before it stopped running if it even ran before if you just got it or something?

well the funny thing is that if you get it running then it runs and starts half ass good, but its getting it started that is the hard part. the person i bought it off of probly was messing with it right before i bought it so it cranked right up. so i called him up when i figgurd it out that he screwed me and said ok you got me but at least tell me what you know about getting it started and he told me to pump the gas ten times then start it and if that didnt work you would have to pull start it with another truck lol i wasnt happy at the least, after that lol i cussed him alittle lol and so i just used starter fluid to get it started and that only worked sometimes and then the battery would stay charged so i got a new altonater and voltage regulator and im not even sure if that is working yet cus now it is giving me this

 

[davidkfannin]

check your oil mine was full of coolant lol

ltfol lol oh shoot lol nope my oil is good lol dam that just sucks lol

 

[davidkfannin]

Do what? I'm trying to figure out what he did or what the PO did to cause the truck to not turn over. if timing was even close to correct hec0 is right it would fire once inawhile atleast. Actually come to think of it, it should also fire or back fire once in awhile if its 180 off. If it has both fuel and spark somehitng just isn't right. Whats your plug gap?and check your TFI modual.

To time a 2.8L it usually helps to have it running, if its not running this won't really help... What you want is TDC of the #1 Piston (this is where it can be a problem because it could be on the compression or exhaust stroke and theres really no way to tell...) unless you follow the plug wire back to the distributor, remove the cap, and check to see if the rotor is positioned under where your wire went. If it is and you hadn't removed the dizzy then you have a spark or fuel problem. If its the opposite of where the #1 wire is then its 180 off... in this case you have to lift the distributor out enough to turn the rotor 180 and then back in.

There is a plate with a 10mm? bolt on the back of the engine at the base of the dizzy. Loosen this just enough to where you can turn the distributor, Hook up your timing light to the number one plug wire and the battery, and either have a buddy crank the engine or have a remote button and turn the engine over pointing the light down towards the crank pulley. It will have numbers and markings on it. as you turn it over the the light will flash hopefully as the the markings go by a needle. Note if you have a TFI dizzy you need to unplug the advance on it, this should be a single wire going into the module. As you turn the distributor SLOWLY one way or the other the markings should move as well. I believe I have mine set at 10 dOC or maybe 8? either one of those should work to atleast get it running.

to find top dead center couldnt you take #1 spark plug out and put a screw driver down the hole and slowly crank it util it is all the way up? i did that with my dodge and it worked but i had a haynes book to tell me where every thing is like im not sure where #1 piston is ? on the dodge it was front of engine on the drivers side is it the same on all engines? oh yeah and whats a dizzy?

 

[davidkfannin]

ok so tommarow morning i will atempt to find tdc and correct my timing without a timing light i guess unless they are cheap. but if that doesnt help then i will be back with more questions and if it does work then i will be indetted to those of you that did indeed help to achive my life without so much stress lol be safe all of you tommarow on new years and i hope you all enjoy the night to its fullest untill the next time love your kids and put up with their mothers lol

 

[Original_Ranger84]

to find top dead center couldnt you take #1 spark plug out and put a screw driver down the hole and slowly crank it util it is all the way up? i did that with my dodge and it worked but i had a haynes book to tell me where every thing is like im not sure where #1 piston is ? on the dodge it was front of engine on the drivers side is it the same on all engines? oh yeah and whats a dizzy?

Yeah thats how I checked mine too. But I also tried the other way too... either way works. lol and Dizzy is just the short lazy word for those who don't wanna type out Distributor all the time.

The #1 cylinder is the front passanger one closest to the battery. Heres the Tech page on the 2.8L 2.8L tech and Performance page

ewll according t the otehr stuff it seems like its not getting enough of both spark or fuel. If its starts up with starter fluid then its not gettin the fuel it needs to start up... once its running its pulling the fuel through it self. I reccomend a new Fuel filter and cleaning out the carburator really well, or rebuilding it.

Then the fact that you have to pull start it suggest the ignition is to blame, since you have replaced the alternator and voltage regulator The next suspect is the battery and connections. if the Battery is low it may only give out enough juice to turn it over and starve the ignition system of the power it needs to ignite the gas, because the alternator only helps when it is spinning fast not when starting which is like 100rpms. this could also explain the stater fluid working and the pumping it working, the starter fluid ignites faster then gas would and is already vaporized from the can, as pumping the gas squirts extra gas into the intake and gives it time to vaporize better before it enters the cylinder. So check your battery 12 -14v is what you are looking for. Try charging the battery really well, and also clean the terminals really well and the connections to the solinoid and starter as wellas the ground to the motor.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

ok so tommarow morning i will atempt to find tdc and correct my timing without a timing light i guess unless they are cheap. but if that doesnt help then i will be back with more questions and if it does work then i will be indetted to those of you that did indeed help to achive my life without so much stress lol be safe all of you tommarow on new years and i hope you all enjoy the night to its fullest untill the next time love your kids and put up with their mothers lol

Oh and its way easier with a light! trust me its worth whatever they cost to get one. I use it all the time with my truck when I need to do work on it.

 

[davidkfannin]

Yeah thats how I checked mine too. But I also tried the other way too... either way works. lol and Dizzy is just the short lazy word for those who don't wanna type out Distributor all the time.

The #1 cylinder is the front passanger one closest to the battery. Heres the Tech page on the 2.8L 2.8L tech and Performance page

ewll according t the otehr stuff it seems like its not getting enough of both spark or fuel. If its starts up with starter fluid then its not gettin the fuel it needs to start up... once its running its pulling the fuel through it self. I reccomend a new Fuel filter and cleaning out the carburator really well, or rebuilding it.

Then the fact that you have to pull start it suggest the ignition is to blame, since you have replaced the alternator and voltage regulator The next suspect is the battery and connections. if the Battery is low it may only give out enough juice to turn it over and starve the ignition system of the power it needs to ignite the gas, because the alternator only helps when it is spinning fast not when starting which is like 100rpms. this could also explain the stater fluid working and the pumping it working, the starter fluid ignites faster then gas would and is already vaporized from the can, as pumping the gas squirts extra gas into the intake and gives it time to vaporize better before it enters the cylinder. So check your battery 12 -14v is what you are looking for. Try charging the battery really well, and also clean the terminals really well and the connections to the solinoid and starter as wellas the ground to the motor.

that doesnt look like my engine i mean it kinda does but not realy it looks like it is smallere and it has a different thermostat housing. is there a place i can type in the id numbers off my engine and find out what kind of engine it is for sure cuz i think it maybe a newer engine?

 

[master hec0]

if you can get it running use the light. by messing with it by hand you could just be making the timing off when it could be possibly fine right now. i got my timing light off kijiji similar to craigslist for 20$ i used it to get my timing perfect after i had manually adjusted it. beleve me when i say you cant get the timing right by just listening to the engine. i did it on a 87 b2 only took 30 mins or so.