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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

timing my car? can you guys give me some pointers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 91foxbod50
  • Start date Start date Jul 20, 2010
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91foxbod50

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#1
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #1
hey guys, im going to be timing my mustang today. i was going to set it at 12 degrees. but i cannot remember if its btdc or after. also is btdc on the left side of the balancer? from the view of looking at the nose of the car. its a 1985 5.0 and is auto bone stock. thanks in advance for any help. i need to get it running right, so my wife can drive.
 

salprint

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#2
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #2
I don't know what the correct timing is for your car, but BTDC is easily found by looking at the rotation of the pully. If the pully rotates clockwise and you have a plate that shows a 0 then it would be the 12 BEFORE it gets to the 0. If it is After top dead center then it would be the 12 after the zero going by the direction of the pully.
 
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FoxGT87

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#3
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #3
when trying to add timing which way do you move the distributor? left or right if your looking at the nose of the car? i was going to make a post about timing a car but you beat me to it.
 
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91foxbod50

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#4
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #4
Thanks for the quick reply, i am about to give it a shot. Should i set the timing btdc or after?
 
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91foxbod50

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#5
  • Jul 20, 2010
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Just for shyts and giggles i changed the firing order up. I put it on the non ho firing order. It ran with no misses. However when i go to put it in gear now it stalls haha just my luck
 

RsStanG1987

I shaved all my pubes playing this game.
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#6
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #6
91foxbod50 said:
Just for shyts and giggles i changed the firing order up. I put it on the non ho firing order. It ran with no misses. However when i go to put it in gear now it stalls haha just my luck
Click to expand...

why the hell would you do that? of course its not going to run right
 

NIKwoaC

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#7
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #7
Yikes, this thread is off to a bad start.

You set timing BEFORE TDC. The reason you set timing advance is so the flame front has a chance to expand before the piston reaches the top of its stroke (TDC). If you accidentally set timing after TDC, you'd know it, because the car would run like crap and the headers would probably glow red.

For the love of God, please put the spark plug wires back where they are supposed to be for the HO firing order. Playing around like that risks blowing up your engine.

Also, make sure you're setting your timing with the SPOUT connector unplugged, and then don't forget to put it back in when you're done.

FoxGT87 said:
when trying to add timing which way do you move the distributor? left or right if your looking at the nose of the car? i was going to make a post about timing a car but you beat me to it.
Click to expand...

IIRC, I believe rotating it clockwise advances it, but once you get in there and twist it, you'll be able to see with the timing light whether you're advancing or retarding it.
 
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FoxGT87

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#8
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #8
how do you find TDC? is it on the crank pulley? if i was just wanting to add a little timing would i have to first get the car to TDC?
 

salprint

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#9
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #9
FoxGT87 said:
how do you find TDC? is it on the crank pulley? if i was just wanting to add a little timing would i have to first get the car to TDC?
Click to expand...

Add a little timing? This is a joke, right?
 

CDQICKGT

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#10
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #10
No... You can "add"/advance or "pull"/retard timing without setting to btc. Just be careful running it hard until you see how it's gonna like it. Some people get away with 18*with no detonation. I have no idea why that would be funny and or a joke...?
 

NIKwoaC

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#11
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #11
FoxGT87 said:
how do you find TDC? is it on the crank pulley? if i was just wanting to add a little timing would i have to first get the car to TDC?
Click to expand...
You put the timing light clamp on the #1 plug wire, then it will automatically light up every time the #1 plug fires. So it kind of “finds” TDC for you.


salprint said:
Add a little timing? This is a joke, right?
Click to expand...

Why is it a joke? If he wants to go from 10 degrees advance to 12 degrees advance, this would normally be called “adding” 2 degrees of timing.
 
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91foxbod50

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#12
  • Jul 20, 2010
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Well its a 85 gt 5.0 with an automatic transmission. I dont think those were h.o motors. Only the carbed manual ones were. This has central fuel injection
 

salprint

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#13
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #13
Why is it a joke? If he wants to go from 10 degrees advance to 12 degrees advance said:
Sorry..just never heard that term before. I've heard of advancing or retarding, never heard "adding". Excuse me.
Click to expand...
 

RsStanG1987

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#14
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #14
91foxbod50 said:
Well its a 85 gt 5.0 with an automatic transmission. I dont think those were h.o motors. Only the carbed manual ones were. This has central fuel injection
Click to expand...

Take your hand and slap yourself. it says right on the stock aircleaner lid 5.0 HO. The difference on the 2 motors i believe i may be wrong but the standard tranny got a regular carb and the auto had like some throttle body injection or something.
 
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91foxbod50

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#15
  • Jul 20, 2010
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Odd, I put the plug wires to ho firing order and it runs terrible. Even adjusting the distributor and nothing it just putts. Its as iff the firing order is off but i checked it
 

RsStanG1987

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#16
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #16
was the motor swapped at some point?
 

RsStanG1987

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#17
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #17
1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 was this the firing order u used?
 
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91foxbod50

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#18
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #18
This the firing order i found for the 85 h.o 5.0
1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

This is the one that was wrong but made the car run better.
1-2-7-3-6-5-4-8

Each firing order is counter clockwise..

I wasnt told anything about a swap, although the motor looks like it was just painted recently..

If thats the 85 firing order im gonna be P!SSED i called 4 ford dealers to get it. I couldnt find it on the net.
 

RsStanG1987

I shaved all my pubes playing this game.
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#19
  • Jul 20, 2010
  • #19
91foxbod50 said:
This the firing order i found for the 85 h.o 5.0
1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

This is the one that was wrong but made the car run better.
1-2-7-3-6-5-4-8

Each firing order is counter clockwise..

I wasnt told anything about a swap, although the motor looks like it was just painted recently..

If thats the 85 firing order im gonna be P!SSED i called 4 ford dealers to get it. I couldnt find it on the net.
Click to expand...

the second firing order you posted isnt even a non ho firing order
the one i posted is for an 85 gt with auto trans. got it from autozones website.
 
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91foxbod50

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#20
  • Jul 20, 2010
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Good to know, ill go through autozone for that kinda stuff. Thanks for your help rsstang, ill update when i try the new firing order out.
 
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