This is topic Distributor wont hold timing in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by East Bay 50 (Member # 8081) on :
 
So after multiple attempts with changing distributors. My car keeps retarding. Once its set it will be good for a few weeks but then it does the same thing again. Has anyone ever had this problem? This is on a 91 mustang with a 347 if it matters
 
Posted by OneFastHatch. (Member # 9537) on :
 
Timing chain?
 
Posted by norcalfiddy (Member # 11207) on :
 
Is it moving?
 
Posted by 5.SL0W (Member # 9987) on :
 
sounds like a bad distributor gear
 
Posted by East Bay 50 (Member # 8081) on :
 
Dizzy gear is new. Timing chain is new too.
 
Posted by Greasy (Member # 5258) on :
 
Happened to a buddy of mine, the bolt that holds the timing gear onto the cam was loose.
 
Posted by FASTHATCH 925 (Member # 7277) on :
 
Have someone that know what there doing to work on it there's lots of thens that can make happen

[ December 29, 2012, 05:59 PM: Message edited by: FASTHATCH 925 ]
 
Posted by Ricks Hot Rod Lincoln (Member # 7637) on :
 
I have three possible answers:
I have the same issue on my 1990 Lincoln Mark VII (It is a Fox Chassis) that I converted to Mass-Air when I put in my 342 (It's a standard bore stroker) I have the C3W1 ECU Ford : F3ZF-12A650-FB that is a Ford replacement ECU and used in the 1993 Mustangs. When I had a chip burned for my car tech said for has some ECU's that mess with the timing and causes the timing to change.

My second suggestion is: Is the outer ring on the harmonic balancer slipping? If you haven't checked this. Here is the way to do it.
Pull the #1 spark-plug out, insert a wooden dowel and hand crank the engine to top dead center and When the dowel stops moving, make a mark on the balancer. Continue to rotate the crank by hand and when the dowel starts moving down, mark the balancer again. TDC should be in the middle of those two marks, or very close. if it isn't, your ring might be slipping and giving you a false reading.
Lastly, did you relocate your air charge temp sensor from the intake manifold to the cold air intake to send the ECU a false reading? I wonder if this is my issue to. This is just a theory...
LMK if any of these help, Rick
Plan D: do you have a boost retard unit that pulls timing as your boost rises? MAP/BAR sensor bad?

[ December 29, 2012, 11:36 PM: Message edited by: Ricks Hot Rod Lincoln ]
 
Posted by Ricks Hot Rod Lincoln (Member # 7637) on :
 
Crap, now I thought of another...
Did you install a aftermarket oil pump drive that is heavy duty like what ARP sells? You do know you need to trim off about an 1/8-3/16" off the bottom of the dizzy shaft so you don't force the drive down into the pump. and as the engine runs, the dizzy is able to drop down further into the engine changing your timing. I learned this lesson the hard and EXPENSIVE way...
 
Posted by East Bay 50 (Member # 8081) on :
 
I just reset it to 10 btdc to get it to run corretly again. But hotrod ric suggested some interesting possibilities. Thanks guys. Ill let you guys know what i find
 
Posted by turbo50 (Member # 6700) on :
 
Is ur check engine light still fuctioning?

[ December 30, 2012, 10:37 AM: Message edited by: turbo50 ]
 
Posted by turbo50 (Member # 6700) on :
 
Here is a good read:

http://eectuning.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4245
 
Posted by East Bay 50 (Member # 8081) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by turbo50:
Is ur check engine light still fuctioning?
The cel has not worked in 20 years lol
 
Posted by turbo50 (Member # 6700) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by East Bay 50:
quote:
Originally posted by turbo50:
Is ur check engine light still fuctioning?
The cel has not worked in 20 years lol
Hahhahaha

well let us know what you find when you fix it.
 
Posted by Ricks Hot Rod Lincoln (Member # 7637) on :
 
After reading Turbo 50's link he included, maybe your Air charge sensor in the #5 runner is intermittently bad? Less that $15 at O'Reily's.
It was my third theory in my first post. And it does retard spark...

http://eectuning.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4245

[ December 31, 2012, 04:01 AM: Message edited by: Ricks Hot Rod Lincoln ]
 
Posted by 89Rodknocker (Member # 2951) on :
 
Its probally not the case but ive seen the oil pump starting to lockup causing the dist to move untill it eventually turns the oil pump rod into a curly fry then snap.
 
Posted by 4IDFOX (Member # 9921) on :
 
Two questions.
Do you have a hv oil pump ?
Is the dist. hold down clamp chrome ?
 
Posted by SLOWSN95 (Member # 8269) on :
 
Do you have a stock cam?
 
Posted by turbo50 (Member # 6700) on :
 
I'm sure it is mechanical and either dizzy gear, cam gear, or oil pump related.....but it hasn't died yet lol
 
Posted by JohnB (Member # 969) on :
 
What is the condition of the distributor gear?
 
Posted by Sikwidit-blumaxx88 (Member # 11046) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ricks Hot Rod Lincoln:
Crap, now I thought of another...
Did you install a aftermarket oil pump drive that is heavy duty like what ARP sells? You do know you need to trim off about an 1/8-3/16" off the bottom of the dizzy shaft so you don't force the drive down into the pump. and as the engine runs, the dizzy is able to drop down further into the engine changing your timing. I learned this lesson the hard and EXPENSIVE way...
How true is this I just installed a new oil pump and I'm haveing a similar issue????
 




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