Louisville13

Hey everyone, ive been reading different posts on here since i got my truck but this is the first time posting.
The questions at the bottom, but heres some info.
I have a 95 f150 302 5 spd that i got recently. It has 158k miles on the body with a basically new engine. Im not sure of the specs but it may have a slightly bigger cam judging by the sound, and it has headers with a short out the side exhaust pipe. When i got it i was told the EGR valve was causing it to surge while idling when it was cold, that quickly turned into surging while idling 24/7. Wasnt a big issue at first, slowly it got on my nerves though as it made it hard to start driving from a stop. Also i was getting no more than 10mpg no matter how i drove it.
Started reading into it on the forums and after seeing all the things it possibly could be i decided to take it to my mechanic. They tightened all the header bolts up (they were pretty loose and i didnt want to deal with reaching them) and retarded the timing saying it was a little too advanced. They said something about valves may be an issue too. Something about forgetting to shave stems or shorten pushrods.

After picking the truck up:
Good:
-it idles great
-sounds great
-has no problem taking off from a stop or driving around at low speeds without bucking.
Bad:
-its slow as hell! It feels like im always pulling a trailer or the parking brake was left on
-it backfires like crazy when down shifting

The question(s)
How quick is everyone elses truck?
Should i mess with the timing and see if i can find a balance point for the speed and idling? If everyone elses trucks run this slow then ill most likely leave it. Before the timing adjustment my truck was quick, like never had a problem speeding up to over take someone. It also revved alot faster, the tires spun at like half throttle, and there werent many things that could keep up from 0-40mph. But it also surged during idling and at low speeds it would buck like crazy. I would have to be in nuetral for anything under 15mph unless i was giving it gas. Theres no rpm gauge so i cant give numbers but now it feels like it has more bottom end and no top end? Any input is appreciated!

justintendo

timing is easy to check on these..buy a timing light and then you will know the timing for yourself.

Louisville13

I mean i know that, i was just trying to figure out if that is the way it was supposed to drive or not. But since the post ive driven it quiet a bit and im fairly certain this is not how it should be. There is no acceleration what so ever

raski

Start by making sure the timing is at specs. Was the timing done correctly? On my older 300, you have to pull out the jumper for the SPOUT connector or you will be fighting the computer. If the fuel filter has not been changed recently, do it. Insufficient fuel flow will start acting up under peak engine demands. Then start with the basics. Check fuel pressure, make sure the ignition system is in good order and go from there. Hang a vacuum gauge and see if it is steady at 18-22 inches. You can check for a blocked converter with the vacuum gauge too. If it is good at idle, manually open the throttle some and hold it.. Vacuum should momentarily drop and go back up. If it drops low and stays there, you should look for a restriction.

Louisville13

Thank you! And is it necessary to use a timing light or...?

88xlt

Yes you have to have a timing light to check the timing. As mentioned above, you MUST remove the spout connector before checking the timing.