That's the one - there's a single pin inside. An alligator clip jumper wire to any bolt on the body/frame/block should work fine. Get the engine warm so the idle settles down, set to 5 degrees BTDC +/- 2 degrees. If you set it to 5 degrees, it should increase to 15 degrees when you remove the jumper ground. While you have the timing light on it would be a good idea to rev the engine a little and make sure the timing isn't moving around all over the place. After it adjusts to a change in rpm, it should hold steady at a steady rpm - if not, there's an electronic or damper problem.

Frank

I just can't seem to get the truck to stay running, I think it might have something to do with bad gas. Unfortunatly I ran out of time today but in the morning I am going to run and fill my little lawnmover gas can with high test and grab some dry gas to put in the tank. When the motor was out there were quite a few hot days and when pressure built up from the heat, gas would run out of the lines making a mess of my carport, to prevent this I removed the filler cap.

Yes, I had the filler cap off for over a month in all type of weather...

So maybe a little moisture got in there, that and did I mention the gas in the tank is almost a year old to begin with? I took the truck off the road last January ,so that was the last time I put gas in it... I hope my problem right now is bad gas, though...

Then I can get on with getting this thing back on the road <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

That is bad gas (no pun intended). Not sure if it's the sole reason for your engine problems but it's definitely contributing. They make gasoline stabilizer that you can add to a tankful if you plan on storing it for an extended period of time without using it.



Did it rain at all? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

If it was under a carport I doubt water got in other than through condensation. Likely it's stale gas with a little moisture in it and any water accumulation goes to the bottom near the pickup. You can siphon off 10 gallons and put it in another car along with some fuel stabilizer and injector cleaner to make sure it doesn't gum up the other car's fuel system - just burn it off quickly by driving it. Then add 10 gallons of fresh fuel to your tank with some fuel stabilizer or water-absorbing treatment and rock the truck a bit to mix it. It still might sputter until you drive it some.

Sounds like you're getting close.

Frank

Yeah it has rained, some were bad storms.. But no the truck wasn't fully under the carport...

Actually I didn't even realize untill I just went out to take a few pics how much it was not under the carport... Sorry if these pics are dark it is getting dark out here.

Sorry, between work and the rain it has been tough to get to this. My readings in red below.

Frank,

Is it normal to get the same reading through the coil from both terminals on the primary side? If so, is it normal for those reading to be exactly the same? I tested them a half dozen times and it always came out the same...

Thanks,
John

The same reading from either side of the primary to the secondary is normal.

Your resistance readings should be ok, although the coil wire is a little high. I checked my Magnecor wires and find them to be about 1/3-1/2 of the OE specs, but unless I find a way to keep thhem from coming off of the NGK plugs, I wouldn't recommend them. I'm starting to squeeze them with pliers to keep the ferrules tight. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

If fresh gas doesn't help with the stalling, you could try a new set of wires, but other than the coil wire it sounds like yours are fine - what about the cap and rotor? Do they look ok?

Frank

Frank have you tried contacting Magnecor about this problem? Who knows, they may send you an free set with the correct connectors if they're somehow messed up. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Good idea, Ray - thanks. I had been hearing a ticking ever since 500 miles on the rebuild and was resigned to pulling the driver side head and replacing the lash adjusters, thinking I had gotten some trash in one, When I got to the first trail in Colorado I stopped to air down the rear and heard the engine missing pretty badly through the exhaust pipe. I thought "Oh, no", but when I raised the hood there was the unmistakable sound of ignition snap and I knew it was either the coil arcing or a plug wire, so I shut it down and started checking. I found 4 plug wires loose, with some of the boots completely off of the plug and lying in the heat shield beside the plug. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> I don't know how it was even running. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> When I plugged them all back in, what I had thought was valve ticking completely stopped. Curious, I started unplugging them one-by-one until I found the noise I was looking for - the #6 plug firing sounds exactly like a valve tick when it's arcing inside the boot. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

Anyway, I'll try your suggestion and call Magnecor. It'd be a shame to junk these purty red wires.... how could I pose without them? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Apologies for the hijack..... maybe I should start a new post on how to easily solve the valve ticking in 3.0Ls. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Frank

John -

I should have thought of this earlier, but I don't recall that you sent the injectors out for cleaning. If not - and the truck sat for a year, odds are at least one or more injectors is gummed up and sticking. Put some BG44K (my choice) or Techron injector cleaner in with the fresh fuel and see if it helps. If not - and the ignition work doesn't help - I'd pull the injectors and send them off for sonic cleaning and flow testing. You may have a shop locally that can do it, but if not either CruisinPerformance or RC Engineering does a good job. CruisinPerformance charges less (last time I looked).

Frank