Engine Car Retards Timing Itself???

[superchamp5.0]

I know how to set timing on the old 5.0 but my car was running fine for the last few months a couple days ago it stared retarding itself rough idle and no power so I thought the bolt on distributer might have come lose so I check it it was tight I loosen it turn it clockwise car peps up and stars running fine got its power back everything finished right wrong I drive the car around the block and it jumps back again so I get the old timing light out Set it at 10 tighten every thing down road around the block same result jumped back again it's going about 5 degrees when it does it I'm at a road block I don't know if it the distributor gear or what it has Tfs1 cam that's been installed about 6 months this hasn't been a problem in the past the car is only driven about 200 miles a month any help is greatly appreciated

 

[mikestang63]

is your balancer slipping

 

[superchamp5.0]

I never thought about that but I guess it could be thanks for your input I'll definitely check it out

 

[superchamp5.0]

Balencer looks good no wobble or anything but I noticed something I set the timing to 10 with spout out replace spout and the timing jumps to around 14 or 15ish I don't think that is normal I've read a million threads and forums I have seen similar stuff but nothing same as this I'm going to keep playing with it and see where it goes from there

 

[stykthyn]

Computer is supposed to advance timing with the spout in. That is normal.

 

[superchamp5.0]

I didn't realize it would advanced that much but thanks for the info I just come back from a short ride around didn't get the rpms over 3500 and nothing has jumped Stull holding I'm going to take it back out a little later and run it harder and see if maybe the balencer is slipping in the higher rpm range

 

[stykthyn]

A slipped balancer is pretty obvious. You would see material separation on the balancer hub. If you haven't done so already get some timing tape or get some paint markers and put some marks on your balancer that are easier to see. Will make life much easier especially when you are trying to hit it with a timing light.

 

[superchamp5.0]

I have it marked at 10 with a white color pencil the balencer looks good but this is the 3rd time I've set it the other 2 times it retarded it self after a short drive lost most of the cars power and was barely idling and the mark moved about a half inch counter clockwise from its original setting when I looked at it with the timing light this time after the drive it stayed but now I don't have any more adjustment to advance any more because the module on the distributor is hitting the hose clamp on the thermostat housing the only thing I did different on this drive was not run the car hard the other 2 times I did if I have to adjust any more I'll have to pull the distributor and drop it back where I can adjust probably going to any way because I don't like how it looks now

 

[superchamp5.0]

The mark moves clockwise not counter clockwise!

 

[a91what]

Typical idle timing advance is 10*..... so if you set your base at 10* then put the spout back in you should see 20* total timing at idle ( give or take).

Sounds like a bad balancer to me, I chased my tail for a week one time with this same issue.

 

[superchamp5.0]

Believe it or not it was the distributor. I picked one up at my local O'Reillys I have no more jumping around set it at 14 with spout out drove it 60 miles back home now and checked it right on the money the gear on the distributor looked pretty wore its the original one with 190,000 miles on it with 3 different cams stock e cam and Tfs1 now but I didn't realize how wore it was until I looked at the new one

 

[a91what]

Good to see you got it worked out!

 

[stykthyn]

Yikes. Roller gear slipping? That's crazy. Glad you found it. Much easier replace than a balancer.

 

[MFE92]

I was going to ask if the roll pin had sheared in the gear