how do i set the timing on a 1990 f150

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gary_the_cheater@yahoo.com - 23 Mar 2006 13:18 GMT

truck hasn't run all winter after i fixed some stuff then

i think i got the distributor back in the right way. cuz when i set it
off one tooth, it was way off the mark i made so i set it back how it
was, but never set the timing

it was running hot, idle was going up and down, before i parked it all
winter

it started yesterday, twice, but died. lot of brown smoke

do i need to set the base timing or what do i do? i have a timing gun
but i'm not exactly 100% sure what to do.

can i just twist the distributor or something to try and get it going.
would make it a lot easier if i could just start it long enough to back
it down the driveway a little

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pkurtz2 - 24 Mar 2006 18:41 GMT

> truck hasn't run all winter after i fixed some stuff then
>
> i think i got the distributor back in the right way. cuz when i set it
> off one tooth, it was way off the mark i made so i set it back how it
> was, but never set the timing

Can you say OOPS!!

> it was running hot, idle was going up and down, before i parked it all
> winter
>
> it started yesterday, twice, but died. lot of brown smoke

Sounds like carbon issues, meaning too much fuel in the combustion chamber.
What size engine you have again? I dont recall you ever telling us.

> do i need to set the base timing or what do i do? i have a timing gun
> but i'm not exactly 100% sure what to do.

Pull the #1 spark plug, and have someone put their finger over it. DISABLE
the fuel pump if electronic. Then hit the key till your friend can feel air
push out of the hole, the first time around you are goin to go to far, but
bring it back around again, slower this time, and after the air pops out,
double check to see that the crankshaft markings are indicating TDC. Put the
plug back in the hole, re-enable the fuel pump. Check to see that the Dist.
Cap and Rotor line up with the #1 plug.

> can i just twist the distributor or something to try and get it going.
> would make it a lot easier if i could just start it long enough to back
> it down the driveway a little

After you do the above steps, then try to start the truck and turn the
distributor till you hit the timing mark on the crank where it should be.

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Joe - 25 Mar 2006 02:46 GMT

Yes, you just turn the distributor like you would on a 57 Chevrolet. Set
your base timing as was already sugguested by pkurtz.

There's a little thingy in the wiring next to the distributor that you
unplug - that stops the computer from messing with the distributor. You'll
want to unplug that and then set it to the timing indicated on your
emissions sticker, using your timing light. Then you can plug it back in.

If the sticker peels off (mine did) it's pretty hard to figure out what it's
supposed to be! They like to leave that out of the shop manual so it's one
less thing to have wrong.

> truck hasn't run all winter after i fixed some stuff then
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> would make it a lot easier if i could just start it long enough to back
> it down the driveway a little

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