msjamesray

I have a worn timing chain that has jumped, and cant find any info that tells me how to set the valve timing from scratch. All that I know is that the timing marks should be at 12o'clock on crank gear and 6o'clock on cam gear. I have tried about every way that I can think of to set it, but just cant get it right. If anyone out there could please shed some light onto this mystery I sure would be very thankfull. I have been told that all I have to do is set piston 1 to TDC and the line up the marks an thats it, but... I cant get it to work. I am getting compression readings from 30 to 65 no matter how I set it. I need to know the exact process as if I was a complete noob to working on motors. I have done this before once but it was on a 4banger that had not jumped so at this point im completely lost in the dark.

kc0rey

With compression rating that low you're dealing with more than timing. You have some internal damage going on

Good old Bill

I agree with Kc about the low compression. As for the timing thing, its as simple as you stated. Just remember, the camshaft rotates 1/2 the speed of the crankshaft, so the mark on it can be either up or down. Mark down is easier to see in my opinion. Remember to put #1 on compression stroke and recheck the distributor timing.

kc0rey

If the timing mark on the crank gear is at 12 o clock, cylinder number 1 will always be @ TDC. If the timing marks on the camshaft gear is at 6 o'clock and the marks line up, base timing will always be correct.

The fact that the cam a turns once for every 2 turns of the crankshaft has no meaning here until you attach the chain and establish initial timing.
Always align the marks properly and you can't miss.

kc0rey

Is the 351W a zero tolerance engine?
That would explain the low compression readings.

msjamesray

Well my uncle came over and got the timing chain set for me and now my compression readings all vary from 118 to 126 so now I just need to get it all put back together and then I will post back with the results and pics once running.

msjamesray

After my truck has sat up a while being worked on, I have a little problem. The carb is a dual venturi and the sliding valves on the top are very stiff amd wont operate on their own, I have cleaned them and still no go. So a friend of mine has given me a regular 2 barrel caeb off of a 5.8 windsor just like mine that was recently rolled over. The carb seems to be just fine, however im rebuilding it anyway just to be sure but the thing is I really dont knowuch about swapping from one type to another and could really use some help. I will try to post some pics of the old carb and the new one in the morning. But any advice would be met with many thanls. On the venturi there is some sort of sensor on the passenger side of it with 5 wires in a single connector. The new carb doesnt have this, also do I need any kind of adaptors or anything to get the regular carb to work?

Good old Bill

The old carb is called a variable venturri, the contraption on the side is the stepper motor. The VV carb was and will always be junk. It was a failed attempt by Ford for computor controlled fuel management.

I wish I could offer up more info on the removal of the VV. The engine won't care about the carb change, its the effects of the ECM (the computor) with out the VV that has me wondering. But thats me, just like I think there is a difference between TDC of compression stroke and exhaust stroke.

By the way, I do agree about the comment about the piston at TDC. But engines do require timing, not just valve timing for compression reasons but for proper ignition timing.

MONSTERPRE

he could've had the valves open during the compression stroke, until the very end, or only in the beginning, which would negate the compression building throughout the rest of the stroke. So, yes...if they are not lined up your compression will be out of wack