Timing Issues

[93gtmustang]

I just bought a 87 GT Mustang speed density car.
It has poor throttle response and it doesn't have alot of power.
I turned the crank so the balancer is at 0 TDC.
The rotor on the distributor doesn't point to the number one plug terminal.
I turned the distributor so that it is lined up with the number one and the car barely runs, it runs like crap.
Should I take the distributor all the way out, reposition it, and put it back in with the rotor pointing at the the number one terminal?
Or did I basically do the same thing before by just turning it?
Maybe the balancer was mounted incorrectly?

Thanks for the help

87 GT Mustang, AOD, Speed Density,

 

[Foxfan88]

there is only one way for the balancer to go on, so its impossible to to put it on wrong.

and theres more to just setting the balancer marks to 0* BTDC, you need to make sure its on the compression stroke on number 1's cylinder (0* mark on balancer is number 1, but could be exhaust stroke rather than compression.

best way to do it....

pop out number 1 plug. have a friend stick his finger in the plug hole. get in the car and bump the starter (take off coil wire to prevent car front starting)

keep bumping the starter until your buds finger pops out of the hole (compression stroke will push the finger out)

now your CLOSE to TDC.

ASSUMING your balancer is correct (stock ones tend to slip as they get alot of miles on them)

you can look down and manually turn the crank to line up 0 on the timing marksif your balancer is accurate, you are now at EXACT TDC on the compression stroke, this is where the firing event cycle is started.

now pop your cap off and see where the rotor is pointing. since your car IS running, i cant see it being too far off. (really cant be too far off or else the car wont run) if its not close. pull the distributor and orient the rotor and housing where the rotor is on the #1 terminal and where the dizzy housing has good adjustment either way to adjust timing. (normaly on my car, my number 1 terminal ends up in around the 11oclock position and the dizzy sits in such a way that the TFI module sits at a 45* angle (pointing towards drivers side headlight.

i think you either didnt get on TDC on the compression stroke or if the balancer is stock it could be old and slipped. if you just cant seem to get it to work for nothing. try a new balancer. aftermarket once dont seem to have rubber in them ( mine doesnt) so they really cant go bad i guess.

 

[Mustang5L5]

You really need a timing light. Doing it the way you did it is not accurate at all.

You'll need to hook the light up to cylinder #1 and set it to 10 degrees.

Then run the check engine codes. SD cars do not have a functional check engine light, so you could have codes stored and not even know it.

 

[93gtmustang]

You really need a timing light. Doing it the way you did it is not accurate at all.

You'll need to hook the light up to cylinder #1 and set it to 10 degrees.

Then run the check engine codes. SD cars do not have a functional check engine light, so you could have codes stored and not even know it.

I do have a timing light. I do my timing on my 93 GT all the time.
For some reason when you turn the crank so that the rotor is point at the #1 cylinder on the distributor it is not at TDC on the balancer. Compression stroke or exhaust stroke.
I'm going to go out now and see if taking out the ditributor and putting in back in with the rotor pointing at the #1 will correct anything.
Thanks everyone.

 

[93gtmustang]

I think the balancer might be shot then. I turned the crank untill #1 cylinder pushed out air on the compression stroke and and the balancer is not at 0 TDC. It is at a reference mark I made yesterday and the rotor is pointing at the #1 mark plug terminal.
It also runs ok like this.
New balancer time?

 

[93gtmustang]

I manually cranked my 93 mustang which has a new motor, balancer etc...., today with the #1 plug out and checked where the balancer was when the compression stroke blew air out. I used this as a reference against my 87 mustang.
My 93 was before the the 0 TDC mark when it blew air out, then it I had to go a little further to arrive at 0 TDC on the balancer.
Installed the distributor with the rotor pointing at the the #1 plug terminal.
Set the timing to 15 advanced and everything runs great as usual.
I tried this same method on the 87 and it runs bad.
If I advance it further, far beyond 15 advanced it runs way better, great actually.
I'm wondering if maybe the timing chain gears are not lined up correctly.
Or do you think still that the balancer is spun?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[Brian@PAR]

It is very likely the balancer has spun. The outer ring is separate from the hub. With age the elastomer holding the two together deteriorates and allows the ring to spin.

The only way to be sure where TDC is is to use a piston stop. You install it in #1 spark plug hole and turn the engine over by hand SLOWLY until it touches the stop. Mark the balancer at your timing pointer. Turn the engine over the other way until it touches again and mark again. Split the difference and that is TDC.

Temporarily you can use timing tape to reset your timing marks but if they are off a new balancer is in order.

You may already know this but the #1 marking on the distributor is important as it is the reference for injector timing. I had an 86 that the previous owner had installed the distributor wrong and just moved the plug wires to make it work. The motor would stumble on acceleration and run poorly at part throttle.