WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[JG2020]

Thanks Bill, explains the slot too...

Very cool! I did lay under the truck with a flash light and sand paper trying to find it. There is blue paint on the pulley making it harder to see.

I have heard about timing with a vacuum meter also.

The truck starts a little hard in the morning but then starts right up on a key turn.

When I work on old VWs the marks are often not right due to pulleys being replaced etc. I usually have to mark tdc and then measure back on the pulley to find the advance mark and mark them with nail polish.

[Sac79]

Very cool! I did lay under the truck with a flash light and sand paper trying to find it. There is blue paint on the pulley making it harder to see.

I have heard about timing with a vacuum meter also.

The truck starts a little hard in the morning but then starts right up on a key turn.

When I work on old VWs the marks are often not right due to pulleys being replaced etc. I usually have to mark tdc and then measure back on the pulley to find the advance mark and mark them with nail polish.

I used a vacuum gauge to get my timing in the ballpark. It was a much easier process, but it has probably left my timing too advanced, so I now have to get the light on there anyway to confirm... Yours is probably in the ballpark already.

[1986F150Six]

I used a vacuum gauge to get my timing in the ballpark. It was a much easier process, but it has probably left my timing too advanced, so I now have to get the light on there anyway to confirm... Yours is probably in the ballpark already.

A "standard?" rule of thumb when setting timing on the 4.9L using a vacuum gauge is to get the maximum amount of vacuum at idle, something like 21" of Hg, and then retarding until that drops about 1.5" Hg.

Take it for a drive and if more than slight pinging is heard while under a light load, retard the timing just a tiny bit more. If no pinging is heard, advance the timing slightly until it is heard and then back off slightly.

Remember, for the 300/4.9L engines [gear driven camshaft], rotating the distributor clockwise retards.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Very cool! I did lay under the truck with a flash light and sand paper trying to find it. There is blue paint on the pulley making it harder to see.

I have heard about timing with a vacuum meter also.

The truck starts a little hard in the morning but then starts right up on a key turn.

When I work on old VWs the marks are often not right due to pulleys being replaced etc. I usually have to mark tdc and then measure back on the pulley to find the advance mark and mark them with nail polish.

The harmonic damper is keyed onto the crankshaft, so the only way the marks can be off is if the rubber has come loose from the ring.

You might try rubbing chalk or crayon on the balanced.

It will usually show the marks.... unless of course the paint is SO thick they are completely filled.

[JG2020]

The harmonic damper is keyed onto the crankshaft, so the only way the marks can be off is if the rubber has come loose from the ring.

You might try rubbing chalk or crayon on the balanced.

It will usually show the marks.... unless of course the paint is SO thick they are completely filled.

Thanks for those replies.

I will get out there and get that cleaned off so I know for sure if the paint filled in the marks.

When using a vacuum gauge where is the vacuum drawn from? I am most interested in this for curiosity's sake and would like to try it.

I have a vacuum gauge with the hoses and also one that sits on top of the carb for when I used to balance Dual Carbs on VW buses.

Josh

 

[Frank Wyatt]

Thanks for those replies.

I will get out there and get that cleaned off so I know for sure if the paint filled in the marks.

When using a vacuum gauge where is the vacuum drawn from? I am most interested in this for curiosity's sake and would like to try it.

I have a vacuum gauge with the hoses and also one that sits on top of the carb for when I used to balance Dual Carbs on VW buses.

Josh

You would want full manifold vacuum when setting timing by vacuum.

[1986F150Six]

You would want full manifold vacuum when setting timing by vacuum.

Look on the intake manifold for a vacuum "tree" and remove one of the rubber caps on an unused port.

[JG2020]

Look on the intake manifold for a vacuum "tree" and remove one of the rubber caps on an unused port.

Great . That's what I thought. Going to give it a try.

This is cool stuff.

[JG2020]

Great . That's what I thought. Going to give it a try.

This is cool stuff.

I think my battery discharge issue is tied to my ignition switch. I have not driven this truck that much but today I had to move it for the street cleaner. The switch gets stuck in the start position unless I manually move it back. There are no idents or anything, it just rotates. While I was driving I was losing power and the radio was going off until I fiddled with it. I can't imagine it's a fun replacement? Or maybe I should consider a dash mount ignition and just leave the steering wheel unlocked.

So I am thinking it is not fully disengaging when I turn the key off or it goes past into the ACC position. The radio goes off but this seems to make sense still. I made sure it was in the off position 2 days ago and the batt had a full charge this morning.

Smells like it's running rich as heck also. After I get the timing done I will have to look at the carb adjustment.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I think my battery discharge issue is tied to my ignition switch. I have not driven this truck that much but today I had to move it for the street cleaner. The switch gets stuck in the start position unless I manually move it back. There are no idents or anything, it just rotates. While I was driving I was losing power and the radio was going off until I fiddled with it. I can't imagine it's a fun replacement? Or maybe I should consider a dash mount ignition and just leave the steering wheel unlocked.

So I am thinking it is not fully disengaging when I turn the key off or it goes past into the ACC position. The radio goes off but this seems to make sense still. I made sure it was in the off position 2 days ago and the batt had a full charge this morning.

Smells like it's running rich as heck also. After I get the timing done I will have to look at the carb adjustment.

Haven't you already tested for parasitic losses with the cab doors closed?

If you're having these types of trouble you really ought to disconnect the battery (you can get a switch for this)

Much cheaper than killing your battery. And you ARE killing your battery by letting it go/stay dead.