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Topic: Timing a possessed Cougar. (Read 8783 times) previous topic - next topic

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #30 –
According to his other thread, he's running an MSD dizzy and a 6A spark box.  I don't know anything about that equipment, but that's what he's got.  I'm willing to bet he's got his light connected to #5

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #31 –
Quote from: TOM Renzo;402944
Or just do a compression test!!! Jay lets not get technical. Chain slack is a good thing to check. I did not want to go their because he might be on OVERLAP with your test. Other than recording the stretch degrees. But a quick peak at the valves or a second rotation just might work to check cylinder sealing. Other than a leak down test the compression test will tell all.  Thanks!!!


adjusted my post tom, i assumed he may not have a compression tester.

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #32 –
Quote from: TheFoeYouKnow;402947
According to his other thread, he's running an MSD dizzy and a 6A spark box.  I don't know anything about that equipment, but that's what he's got.  I'm willing to bet he's got his light connected to #5

yeah, at worse case he may dump "certain" codes for this non oem gear but,, i suspect hes running on the default tables in the eec, limp mode so to speak.

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #33 –
Perhaps the outer ring of the harmonic balancer has slipped. They can. It can slip a little or a lot. They can even slip completely apart. Put something in the spark plug hole (something solid), and gently turn the engine by hand. When the engine stops, mark the spot the pointer is pointing to on the damper. Now, rotate the engine backwards until it stops. Mark this spot on the damper. The exact middle in between the two marks is 0 degrees. From there, you can use the original scale on the damper to see how far from 0 10 degrees is and mark the damper accordingly. Timing by ear can be good on a lot of engines, or even by vac. Not so with these. I have found that this will put it way to far advanced. You must get the timing right before going any further.

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #34 –
Wow! Thanks for the support guy's! The cylinder I'm calling #1 is the one (facing the car) on the passenger side first cylinder. They go 1,2,3,4, then on the drivers side 5,6,7,8 moving back...correct? I will do a compression check and post my results. I need to get some rechargeable batteries for my camera and have my friend should me how to sent them to this forum. I think that will help out most! I need to get ready to go to a wake. So, I may get to this later today.

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #36 –
I'm back, but it's too late to do anything now, so I will try to answer some questions. First off was I using the right cylinder? The spout has been disconnected. My MSG 6a box does not have advanced timing control. When I said that I set the idle by ear, what I did was start the car, move the distributor to where it idled smooth and when I revved it up, it did good. Then I would drive it and test different positions of the distributor. When it was most powerful, I left it there. Yes Tom, I do know how to read my harmonic balancer for degrees and the TFI is pointing toward the 4 o'clock position. I still need to buy an engine buttstuffyzer. I have never taken the timing chain cover off. I do nave a compression tester and I will take my compression check and post it. I have a cell phone and can take pictures, but how do I download them? I will try to find out. Thanks!

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #37 –
Ok do you have a stock FORD DIZZY. Seriously i cant tell what you are running as i cant follow some of your posts. So do you have a STOCK DIZZY. And if so disconnect that MSD. I have a cart with a couple of them at the shop and that is as far as they go. The stock Ignition system is totally adequate for just about every application you can think of. One thing i learned when i was young is most aftermarket stuff SUCKS. So with that i would pull plug #1 pass side front. And bring the damper up to TDC. Use a long skinny screw driver in the plug hole and rock the damper back and forth with a breaker bar. You will feel the screwdriver come up and down. When the screwdriver comes out the furthest that is app TDC. I am affraid if you try to use the positive stop method you might mess up. When you had your heads off you should have plotted TRUE TDC. As mentioned above the dampers on fords can spin. The inertia ring has a nasty habit of doing this. Also what is with code retrieval. Can you pull codes??? Just curious!!!
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #38 –
Quote from: jcassity;402950
yeah, at worse case he may dump "certain" codes for this non oem gear but,, i suspect hes running on the default tables in the eec, limp mode so to speak.


Jay i have no idea what he is running at this point. I ask definitive questions and they are side tracked. Your guess is as good as mine. When the photos are posted we will see what is UP
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #39 –
I laugh when I see 5.0 anythings with stock cams, factory headers, and stock Ford intakes, and of course the hot air intake and that ed red box on the fender.

Not to sidetrack the thread, but if you need an MSD box, you probably don't need to post questions on a forum about simple things like timing your engine..of course, I'm in no way being judgmental here, OP probably acquired said car with the MSD box on it.
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #40 –
No ford distributor. I can disconnect the MSG box. There is about two pages of "things to do". What should I start on first?? For those of you who are stressing out, go take a nap.

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #41 –
I'll nap when I die

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #42 –
"I'll get all the sleep I need when I'm dead." ~ Wade Garrett - Road House (1989)

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #43 –
How can i take a NAP when you cant even time a SBF. I wont sleep till this is finished. Many a times i wake up 2 AM and head down to the shop with a fix for a stubborn car. NAP no not with you posting, Seems like you dont get to much NAP TIME!!!
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

Timing a possessed Cougar.

Reply #44 –
OK, so, now we got that settled, I have a bunch of sleepless, determined, some what perfectionist, live to work on cars, "ZOMBIES" trying to help ME who DOESN'T know squat about EEC fix this car (lol). Does that sound about right? What do you say we TRY to tackle ONE problem at a time?? What would be FIRST, compression check or getting the car started?