Set timeing to factory specs, car dosen't run worth a crap?

[Jamie Miles]

I acquired a 200/C4 from a 1971 Maverick Grabber last week that only has 30,132 original miles on it. It was all original down to the Autolite radiator hoses and original Autolite fanbelt. The story behind the drivetrain is that it had been in storage for about 25 years. It was then drove regularly from 2002 - 2004. It has been stored again for the past 2 years. I put the engine in my 1969 1/2 Maverick. (I have a 250 to go in at a later date when I get some more parts, but for now I just want the car running and driveable).

I installed a rebuilt distributor and a rebuilt carb. The emissions sticker on the side of the valve cover calls for the timeing to be set at 6 degrees BTDC. However, every time I move the timeing below 12 degrees the car dosen't want to idle and dosen't have any power (it has a hard time getting over 30 mph). With it a little over 12 degrees it idles fine and has decent power up until about 55 mph and then falls on it's face.

I am at a loss. Any ideas?

 

[simon]

Any ideas?

sounds like a slipped balancer to me.

Verify TDC and make some new markings on the balancer.

 

[MustangSix]

Could be that the balancer ring has slipped and the timing mark is off. It may be reading wrong and could be off by 8 or 10 degrees. Try pushing the timing to an indicated 18 degrees and see what happens.

 

[pedal2themetal45]

Are you disconecting the Vacuum line , pluging it then setting the timming.??
Tim

 

[Jamie Miles]

Are you disconecting the Vacuum line , pluging it then setting the timming.??
Tim

Yes..

Thanks guys, I'll look into it.

 

[Anonymous]

yeah.. dont worry about the # the timing is set at just play with it untill you have it runnig the way you want

 

[The Plankster Prankster]

yeah.. dont worry about the # the timing is set at just play with it untill you have it runnig the way you want

thats what i have to do - the balancer on my 300 is so far out that its all by ear. just advance it till it pings when youre driving hard and back it down a few degrees. or use a vac gage to find that spot with the most vacuum, thats what a lot of "experts" around here recomend
--josh

 

[Mercury Mike]

Do you hook the vacuum gauge to the line that would go to the distributor, while it's plugged into the carb? Or....? What's the best source to hook the gauge up to.

 

[fordconvert]

For this test you want a manifold vac source. If you have a 66 or older stock engine and carb it would be the line that goes to the automatic transmission and/or the power brake booster. After 66 it depends on the emissions your car has, look for a line that goes to the intake manifold or the BOTTOM of the carb. Ports higher up on the carb are usually 'ported' which is not what you want for this test. If your source is very close to one cylinder it will be normal for the needle to pulse, if you are close to the carb you shold have a fairly steady needle if you have a healthy motor.

 

[JackFish]

Perhaps the dizzy is off by a tooth?

 

[The Plankster Prankster]

Perhaps the dizzy is off by a tooth?

i dont believe that would do it. if its "off" by a tooth, you simply turn the body of the dizzy (how you would always adjust the timing) such that its back where it belongs. since you adjust your timing based on when it fires with respect to crank position, it makes sense for a slipped balancer to kill your reading. makes you think the crank's somewhere it isnt, thus giving you a retardation equal to the distance it slipped.
he's just got a slipped balancer. so do i. timing it by ear or by vacuum is the way to go
--josh