kyleroth48625 Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 My 85 will have the ignition timing jump around while driving it goes advanced then severe retarded all on it's own. I have disabled the computer timing by pulling the spout I can drive it on base timing and it did well for a while like that. But now while driving it will start misfiring randomly and loose power bad never really backfires out eather side though just misses and no power if you pull over shut it off for a minute it will usually run fine till it does it again. I have made sure all the guts in the distributor are tight and the distributor it self it's got a newer ignition module made no difference runs like a beast when it goes and yes new plugs and wires were done first. I have video of it doing it if some tells me how to insert I will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Are you saying the timing jumps around with the sprout pulled? If so the only thing I can see to cause that would be a timing chain with a lot of play. Easy to check for play. Turn the motor by hand and set to TDC, do not turn it back to line it up perfect. Now pop the dist. cap and keep an eye on the rotor, turn the motor backwards till the rotor just starts to turn and stop. Hope the rotor did not turn much, now look at the timing mark and you should be able to tell how many degrees it moved and will show the play. I would say 5* is pushing it on play. BTW you said plugs & wires how about the cap & rotor. Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyleroth48625 Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 Are you saying the timing jumps around with the sprout pulled? If so the only thing I can see to cause that would be a timing chain with a lot of play. Easy to check for play. Turn the motor by hand and set to TDC, do not turn it back to line it up perfect. Now pop the dist. cap and keep an eye on the rotor, turn the motor backwards till the rotor just starts to turn and stop. Hope the rotor did not turn much, now look at the timing mark and you should be able to tell how many degrees it moved and will show the play. I would say 5* is pushing it on play. BTW you said plugs & wires how about the cap & rotor. Dave ---- Yes cap and rotor are new as well the 300 is gear to gear that's the part that has me stumped. Bout the only thing I haven't done is rip all the wiring out of the thing. I got a 95 done Ben thinking bout doing some efi swapping if I can't find the issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Yes cap and rotor are new as well the 300 is gear to gear that's the part that has me stumped. Bout the only thing I haven't done is rip all the wiring out of the thing. I got a 95 done Ben thinking bout doing some efi swapping if I can't find the issue Kyle - A couple of things. First, you have two identical threads, so can I delete the other one before people start commenting on it? Second, on the video, this forum supports videos from Youtube, Vimeo and LiveLeak. You have to get the "embed code", then click the "Embed" button above, and paste the embed code between the ">" and the "<" characters. I'll let you chew on that and I'll start a post re your problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Yes cap and rotor are new as well the 300 is gear to gear that's the part that has me stumped. Bout the only thing I haven't done is rip all the wiring out of the thing. I got a 95 done Ben thinking bout doing some efi swapping if I can't find the issue I think I just typed this elsewhere. Since it jumps around with the computer out of the equation there are two failure points - the ignition module itself and the pickup in the distributor. If you've changed out the module and there's no difference then look at the pickup. One of the issues with the pickup is the insulation tends to fail on the wiring in the dizzy. Pull the cap and check that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Are you saying the timing jumps around with the sprout pulled? If so the only thing I can see to cause that would be a timing chain with a lot of play. Easy to check for play. Turn the motor by hand and set to TDC, do not turn it back to line it up perfect. Now pop the dist. cap and keep an eye on the rotor, turn the motor backwards till the rotor just starts to turn and stop. Hope the rotor did not turn much, now look at the timing mark and you should be able to tell how many degrees it moved and will show the play. I would say 5* is pushing it on play. BTW you said plugs & wires how about the cap & rotor. Dave ---- I would say any play on a 300 would be bad, it is a gear drive cam, not chain like the 223. I would take a good look at the shutter in the distributor, make sure there is no damage and it isn't loose on the shaft, also look at the wiring from the Hall effect trigger and the actual pickup and it's plastic mount, there should be a metal arm locking the pickup in place, if it is missing or not securely attached to the pickup (plastic pin through the end) then your timing will go all over the place. Unfortunately, unless you have the tools to take the distributor apart and reassemble it, you are better off with a rebuilt unit. When the SPOUT lead is unplugged, timing should be rock steady at the specified setting, which varies depending on equipment installed (transmission) where it was built for and weight class. Since it is an F150 that pretty well eliminates the HD versions. Question comes, since you refer to disconnecting the SPOUT that you have the feedback carburetor EEC-IV system meaning the distributor has a TFI-IV gray module on the side of the bowl. You should not use the later black module as the internal circuitry and external wiring changed. The gray module is referred to as a "push start" and uses an input signal from the start circuit to "push" the dwell to the maximum to aid in starting, the black module is referred to as CCD, for Computer Controlled Dwell, where the EEC adjusts the dwell to increase the spark voltage as needed. These were a 1995 model year introduction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 I will throw in the disclaimer that I have only a novice understanding of ignition circuits and failure points... but I have had straight six Fords in the driveway most of my life and have the following observations to offer: Twice I have had bad ignition modules, and recently one bad distributor pick up. When these items failed I did not experience misfire or running rough. The distributor pick up would cut out, but run smoothly in between. One module just quit and was dead. The other manifested as progressively harder starting until one time it wouldn’t start. Not saying these components can’t create misfire but that hasn’t been my experience. Problems that HAVE given me rough running/misfire problems are: 1) Bad coil. That was a maddening one and I don’t want to talk about all the other parts I bought first. 2) Major vacuum leak. Mine happened to be a giant crack in the PCV grommet. 3) Broken distributor shear pin. This usually leaves you dead in the water, but I have experienced where the shattered pin ends would catch after a missed revolution or two and continue to run, slip/catch/run etc., but that wouldn’t be long lasting. I only mention this because it’s worth checking the integrity of that pin in case it is worn or allowing slop in the rotor. Don’t know if any of that helps, but those are issues I have come across and things to check. I’ve also had carb and fuel delivery issues disguise themselves as spark issues, so if you are not getting backfire consider that the ignition timing may actually be fine. Not saying it is... just don’t completely rule it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Wyatt Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 When you replaced the ignition module, you did use the heat sink grease right? Just beause it's new, doesn't mean it's good or could not have gone bad. My vote however is check the coil. The next time it does what it's doing, see if the coil is hot/over heated. I have had several coils to go bad and they acted up similar to the way you are describing and on all of them the coil was getting very hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 When you replaced the ignition module, you did use the heat sink grease right? Just beause it's new, doesn't mean it's good or could not have gone bad. My vote however is check the coil. The next time it does what it's doing, see if the coil is hot/over heated. I have had several coils to go bad and they acted up similar to the way you are describing and on all of them the coil was getting very hot. Apparently he either hasn't read anything or doesn't like the answers given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Apparently he either hasn't read anything or doesn't like the answers given. I'm guessing his spam filter put the email notifications in the spam folder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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