440 gremlins
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:07 am
Help!!!! My girl is sick, 1978 F36, 440 issues. So I’ve been chasing varnish issues due to ethanol since I bought my boat 12 years ago. Basic simple solution, swap the filters, blow out a few specific fittings, fuel lines etc. and I’m back in business. Not this time! This ones stumped me. Can’t seem to get my port running right. Maybe time for a basic tune up. New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil, ballast resistor, even did a new ignition module, inspected the weights, and springs in the distributor, brand new magnetic pickup, oil change etc. and things got worse. Way worse! Now the damn thing doesn’t even wanna start. And yes I checked the firing order, 5 times! I had even swallowed my pride, and hired a mechanic, he couldn’t figure it out either. We even swapped distributors along with a couple other key parts wit the starboard, and same issue. It does 100% sound like a timing issue. Yet the timing is spot on! This is a standard rotation engine. I can get it started, once started it will barely run, and only run at 1400 rpm or greater, popping, shaking, stalling etc. Keep in mind this engine ran great, and never missed a beat, til I decided to do a basic tuneup, no internal damage, no internal engine noise, cam sounded great, can’t imagine it was damaged. Getting fuel, that is not the problem!
The only thing I can think of is cam to crank timing. I’m not 100% positive what could of gone bad, or wrong within the timing chain. I don’t hit a log right before this engine started acting up, didn’t really think this could related to my problem, just ironic, but who knows, because I don’t! Please help.
The only thing I can think of is cam to crank timing. I’m not 100% positive what could of gone bad, or wrong within the timing chain. I don’t hit a log right before this engine started acting up, didn’t really think this could related to my problem, just ironic, but who knows, because I don’t! Please help.