So in a quick attempt to fix the tuning issue with the truck i found something interesting. With the timing light on any one of the wires and when the engine gets revved up the light isn't 100 percent constant (as in how a timing light should be functioning), it seems like it drops spark here and there. I'm wondering what i should replace to try to resolve this.
so after looking around the forum i think i'm going to replace the ignition coil and the "white piece" beside it which i think is the ballast resistor, however i am having trouble finding this part.
Ballast resistor and coil can be checked for non working very easily with ohm tester and a continuity tester. Just in case you need to save your money.
Alrighty, maybe i'll give it a whirl tonight, see if i can't find the issue. Thanks Brad!
OK, once again thanks Brad! I checked out the ballast resistor tonight and it seems fine, it gets HOT when the vehicle is on and it seems to be working OK. The ignition coil still has me concerned though. I found out i'm not good at troubleshooting electrical ignition issues, even with the proper equipment. But i did find out that the inconsistent timing light issue is still apparent after taking apart the ignition coil and resistor and cleaning them well. I also was playing around with the timing light some, on what i believe is the 4th wire the timing light is inconsistent when the truck is just idling, i'm thinking this isn't good. I'm thinking its the ignition coil not sending enough spark. Input from the internet d50 gods would be greatly appreciated. (below is the wire that i had the timing light on that the light was inconsistent when just idling)
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The light is inconstant on number 4 wire? have you tried switching a plug wire to see maybe if the plug wire is ground out on something or has a break in it? Take the #3 wire and switch the entire wire to #4 and put number #4 wire onto the #3 distributor spot and plug. Just checking the wire for a problem and relocating it and rechecking the #4 again. If the #4 stops being intermittent then your spark plug wire is bad. Could try another coil also.
i'm not 100 percent sure what is going on, this all stemmed from just trying to get the darn thing in time using a timing light. and when i have it set to where it needs to be, (according to documentation) then it barely runs and when i add some gas to it it backfires in the carb. Maybe i am doing something else incorrectly. but i still need to figure out why the spark plug wires are giving me inconsistent flashing in the timing light.
after looking back through some pictures i may have found a timing issue as well, Maybe you guys could take a look fo rme and se ei foyu can decipher it?
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Is there an easy way to see if the top mark and the bottom mark line up without taking both the front covers off? Also, from the picture i can't tell which mark on the wheel is the correct mark. And i believe when putting the engine together we tried 4 or 5 times to get it right, do you guys have any tips for me as far as making sure the timing is set properly?
If I'm seeing your cam mark correctly, you are aligning it with the top of the cylinder head, thus making it one tooth off. The actual mark for the cam is a cast-relief mark just below the cylinder head. If off, definitely would cause problems. There is a dot on the cam gear that aligns with the dimple on the cylinder head. (I say that just to be absolutely clear).
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Ok, so i checked the timing yesterday and it seems ok, but one thing i noticed is that my upper timing mark isn't on a tooth, its weird in the fact that it makes the timing not 100% accurate and i can go one way or the other very close to the correct mark. Has anyone else run into this? Also if the bottom timing mark is lined up with TDC, which i'm assuming it is, thats how i verified the timing is darn close.
timing1.jpgtiming2.jpg
That is correct, and your photo shows the "dot" on the gear that is the intended timing mark.upper timing mark isn't on a tooth
If you take apart the crank pully components, the timing marks do all align in the same location: it wouldn't make any sense to have components that go back together just any ol' way you want. So your crank timing mark is showing you the correct timing location.
My experience has been that it takes several patient attempts to get the belt on just right: pullys or gears want to shift and fight you. I am also of the opinion that your B belt and oil silent shaft elimination is causing some degree of problem, though I'm no expert in that area. The main importance is that your tension is on the oil gear side, coming from the crank on up to the cam.
The only way i can get it any closer then what it is now i, d have to make a rotation or two with either of the cogs and see if it geta me closer then it is, wont that mess it up more then fix?
There's NOTHING easy about procedures on these engines, it seems. If you feel your timing is off, the only way to re-position and re-tension the timing belt is to remove the front covers. 'Pain in th' puhtooki, I know, but it is by painstaking actions we get satisfying results in life. Elsewise, we're using "miracle products" to hope our lives keep running.Is there an easy way to see if the top mark and the bottom mark line up without taking both the front covers off?
Had I not "bit the bullet" and removed my cyclinder head (after the timing belt stripped), I would have never found the core problem (slipped valve guides and scored cam bearings). Camoit suggested "just replacing the belts", which would have eventually promoted catastrophic failure had I taken that casual advice. (No one's a Saint). In another phase of repair I found problems only by taking the time to tear down (again!) components to comfortably access the problem area.
I say this as encouragement for you to go the full distance to do the corrections to the best of your ability.
alright, I appreciate greatly your advice royster. I have some other stuff going on right now and some ignition parts coming in, time will tell how i make out. Thanks
The alignment is fine. Once tension is applied, they'll be a bit off. It's not going to kill the engine, smash valves, or anything else. The reference for the crank shouldn't be the mark on the pulley and timing cover. With all the years of use, and the fact that the plastic cover won't be set dead on, means it's a lousy reference. Use the timing reference on the t-belt drive gear.
If the timing light is inconsistent on every cylinder, but the engine isn't fumbling and missing, you probably have a timing light issue lol. The clamp usually needs to be very tight. Timing lights aren't "smart" - they only do what they're told to do.
I'm not sure why you are clamping it to the other wires.... just needs to be set on 1.
I find these engines to be ridiculously simple. It's not hard to put it all together, but it is easy to get sucked into believing something is catastrophic and failure will happen all over. These systems are very simple, very cut and dry, very easily followed (repairs).
Your going to have to go by the marks they give unless you know how to degree a cam with a degree wheel and that's always fun to do, lol.
Once you figure out if you made a mistake on timing, your going to be a pro at it for life.
Here is a youtube video that might help you. It also shows about the balance shaft being pointed correctly and the distributor markings and explains when on compression stroke.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9GivbK-bu0
well i put the new coil in and it always seems to run a little better with new parts in it, but it is still surging when going at a constant speed. I'm not sure what else to check.
So just for fun today i decided to try to pull the spark plugs while running to see what happens. The third spark plug doesnt seem to make that big of a difference when unplugged from the distributor. Any help troubleshooting would be nice, and thanks in advanced. Im also working on the chrome wheels as a side note.
So i meant spark plug wires. I was unplugging all the wires from the distributor.Originally Posted by asmyser
...just for future reference - when using a timing light make sure the pick up is as close to #1 spark plug as possible. And you will get a little bit of fluctuation with the timing light as there's all sorts of intermittent play in a distributor style ignition system (the older the distributor - more play).
Ok, still need some help, im not quite sure what else to do at this point. The problem is as follows: when moving at a constant speed in gear the vehicle surges and acts funny. Its really bad at low rpms in 1st gear going 5-10mph. When accelerating it is fine. It also doesnt seem tohave 100% power
Does your distributor have vacuum advance on it? The vacuum actuator on it might be bypassing air. Or maybe the vacuum hose to it has a split/leak etc. Check it out.
Ok, so i'm not sure how to check for it not working, so i looked for leaks in the hose and it seems fine. I also started the truck up and uplugged that hose, and nothing changed, even when revved up. So, what exactly does that do and how to test it. Help would be greatly appriciated.
You can do a simple test to see if it is working by disconnecting the hose and physically applying vacuum to the advance unit on the distributor while the engine is running and see if it affects idle.
Is there a way to do it without the proper tool? Any trick?
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