Tweaked Distributor

[BigBlackB250]

What did i do??? I one day got bored and thought of an old van in the past I used to have, i had to replace the disributor and b4 i did it was real sluggish kinda like my current was, so I truned the distributor counter clock wise a hair and b4 i could hardly peel around a corner now, since i did that it feels as if ive added much acceleration if not horse power what did i just do was my van off timing from sitting??

[Dodgevanman]

You probably advanced the timing a bit.

[BigBlackB250]

SO is this wrong, good, bad what will it hurt over time

[van-nut]

Your best bet is to set the ignition timing to the factory specification. There should be a decal somewhere under the hood which tells you what the spec is. Mine is on the under side of the hood itself - yours may or may not be there. If you know the spec and have a timing light, it's not hard to do.

If you'd rather not mess with it, and the van is running good, you should be fine AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT HEARING ANY DETONATION AKA "PING". Advancing the timing too far will cause this, and it can destroy an engine quickly if its severe enough and ignored. So listen carefully for it. It should be pretty obvious if it is present - especially at lower RPM's and moderate to heavy throttle.

Pete

[Mad Joe]

Mind if I jump into this thread about timing? My new crate engine stated pinging within 6 months of being installed. It doesn't do it all the time. The timing was set to factory specs. I have retarded it and for the most part, the ping is gone, but the van is sluggish as heck. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[BigBlackB250]

Yeah see mine was mad sluggish aswell but heres some more news i went around a corner a lil quick and heavy footed and now im not getting gas to the carb when i press the throttle you know that little splash of gas you here when you take the air filter assembly or whatever off is my carb shot, did my filter finally gunk up or my pump just go i get it running for like 3 seconds when pouring gas through the carb but it acts like its not getting any gas and like i said no lil squirt of gas in the carb and ping describe ping i heard its like marbles in a spray paint can but its more like i hear something different on deceleration sometimes exhaust back fire

[alloro]

or my pump

Sounds like your fuel pump went. Did you check for fuel pressure?

[alloro]

Mind if I jump into this thread about timing? My new crate engine stated pinging within 6 months of being installed. It doesn't do it all the time. The timing was set to factory specs. I have retarded it and for the most part, the ping is gone, but the van is sluggish as heck. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Year, engine, FI or carb, pinging on regular gas or even on premium, any trouble codes?

[Mad Joe]

Alloro:

Sorry, didn't give you much to go on. I have given my info in other threads, but that didn't help in this one.

Short & simple. Van is an '86 B250 maxie. 318 with carb. Van too old for me to know anything about "codes". I think that only applies to newer models. I have run regular and mid grade and got the same results. I believe I ran premium once and that made no difference.

I've had the timing set by 2 or 3 different shops and when they set to spec, I get the pinging. I set the timing back, and that helped. It doesn't ping often, but it did it this morning under a load.

I believe the distributor has been replaced before. I've had this work van for 14 years and I forget everything over time that has been replaced or repaired.

This thing runs pretty sluggish compared to my last van ('75 maxie with 360 and 4:10 gears), but I have to remember I am hauling a lot of weight.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

[van-nut]

Joe - Could you remove most or all of the weight just to see how much difference that makes? My van pretty much never pings when its empty. On the other end of the extreem, I once had it loaded up with stuff and towing a trailer and was driving thru some mountains, and with those conditions I filled it with premium gas and it still pinged some going up the mountains.

My car seems to be very sensitive to ping in the hot summer months, and much less so during the winter. That may also influence your van.

Pete

[alloro]

Van is an '86 B250 maxie. 318 with carb.

The most likely cause of your problems is the EGR valve is failing to open, or open enough while driving.

[BigBlackB250]

WHats a simple way to check for fuel pressure with no gauges or equipment

[alloro]

There isn't.

[BigBlackB250]

LOL okay so could there be any other possible causes that im not getting gas to the engine i used to be able to pour a lil gas down the carb and shed pop over and keep running now it doesn't could this be something to do with me fooling with the timing??? Imma look for what a fuel pump does and how it works because i mean if you step on the pedal you should get a lil shot of gas unless the fuel pump stopped working or maybe the choke is screwed or should i just go buy a 20 dollar pump and a 5 dollar filter or just get a different vehicle

[alloro]

If it's a mechanical pump replace it and your fuel filter. If it electric then first check to see if you're getting power to the pump.

[BigBlackB250]

Okay, okay i know its mechanical, but i mean what makes this pump work, i have been tryin to find this and i cant find much so the rod goes into the timing chain housing could there be something screwed in there or is that unlikley. I read somethins like an eccentric????

[charlie1935]

Okay, okay i know its mechanical, but i mean what makes this pump work, i have been tryin to find this and i cant find much so the rod goes into the timing chain housing could there be something screwed in there or is that unlikley. I read somethins like an eccentric????


The pump works off of an eccentric at the front of the camshaft. If it wont run by pouring gas in the carb It could be you got the timing off or the timing chain has jumped which it could easily do if it has lots of miles on it and it has popped or backfired any while trying to start. :gr_patrio

[BigBlackB250]

its goin on 150 k here and thank you charlie after like hours of looking i found some threads on what you were saying but if it were off timing wouldn't my spark be kinda screwed up too no popping or back firing while trying to start it did once but it does that when its cold and revs high, Believe me that was the first thing i thought the chain jumped but wouldnt you hear that all my van did was just quit like the filter said im clogged and the pump said im too weak to pump through that gunk any more then it just broke, BUT if it is the eccentric or the timing chain jumping which i doubt i mean 150 k come on and a geezer owned it b4 me and it was fleet maintained sitting for like 3 years b4 i got it but i highly doubt the chain jumped because youd get gas but it would be off and youd get all sortsa backfiring, maybe that lil thing at the end is gone on it the eccentric i mean how common is this in a 5.2. My guess is the pump stopped working and if i cant feel the eccentric when i turn the engine by hand i know i have a project ahead wont I

[charlie1935]

I have had timing chains jump when the engine was running and it just died and wouldn't start. As far as the eccentric on the cam, I never had a problem from it. It's not small like a cam lobe, but something like 2" or in diameter. If you have the pump off try working the lever and see if it makes a noise. Sometimes they come apart inside and the arm just flops around and doesn't work the diaphragm. :gr_patrio

[BigBlackB250]

Well thats promising, ballpark here what are the chances i screwed up the timing chain by messin with the distibutor which made it much much easier gun the engine sorry if i sound like a moron but as a young mechanic to be i must know

[alloro]

what are the chances i screwed up the timing chain by messin with the distibutor


Next to none.

[BigBlackB250]

LOL i should have said by messin with it or period, I mean is it common for a pump to just quit???? If the timing chain can just jump and kill the engine how about that pump can it just up and quit???

[alloro]

Yes it can just up and quit.

[BigBlackB250]

Thanks bud Im done botherin yall about this problem lol i obviously need to make progress b4 i start askin more questions but one last one lets say i did jump my chain would i need to change out the gears as well as the chain and about how long would this take a novice mechanic like myself to do this job???

[charlie1935]

Thanks bud Im done botherin yall about this problem lol i obviously need to make progress b4 i start askin more questions but one last one lets say i did jump my chain would i need to change out the gears as well as the chain and about how long would this take a novice mechanic like myself to do this job???


Yes, get a timing set, (both gears and a chain). First time novice, allow yourself the better part of a day. :gr_patrio