95 f150 4.9 inline six

Just replaced the engine with a rebuild from a local supply place.

Top Dead Center, Stabbed the distributor, set the timing by ear then...no timing mark.

I know the plug wires are correct.
Im certain it was TDC

The timing mark can only be found from underneath.

WTF? Do you think maybe the crank pulley from the previous engine is different. It's keyed so I couldn't put it on wrong.

If they had the cam off a tooth or so would it runs so well? I am stumped.

 

Are you looking in the right place (from the passenger side, by the battery, looking at the balancer)?

 

yeah, I see the mark it's about 120d off. At TDC the mark can only be seen from underneath looking up.

It was suggested just now, I may have a spun balancer. The engine is running excellent.

 

My 96 has 2 marks on the pulley, one at 0° and one at 10°BTDC; they are labeled very, very faintly. Make sure you're looking at the right mark. Use a white paint stick to highlight them. It makes timing much easier.

 

Make sure you unplug the "SPOUT".

 

thanks yeah I knew about the "spout".

The mark is nowhere near the markers. At TDC you have to crawl under the truck to find it. The only thing that makes sense is the balancer being spun. Or some catastrophic mistake like the cam being off a tooth or something.

It runs really really good . Time will tell if it's going to get 5 MPG or something but so far I don't see anything wrong with performance. I'm not even going to drive it until I solve the problem.

 

Some mass rebuild places don't check numbers. They just grab the best crank for the job. You may have a different crank from something else or a different year. The clocking position on the crank is more than likely different than your original engine.

 

Well that would be this place City Motor in Dallas. They've been around forever and sell a lot of engines.