1988 5.0on the timing chain cover there is a setting post i guess you would say . One looks like a circle and the other looks like a arrow of some sort. now do i set the timing to 14 degr to that arrow or the circle and is there a pic of a harmonic balancer with the marks? i cant really read my marks on the balancer. I think i set it to the right spot but i still have a small pop out of the intake and a small hesitation before 2000 rpm. What else could be wrong maby the fuel pump will make it run lean enough to make it pop or for that matter the regulator. Wich vacuum line connect to the regulator on the fuel rail?

 

Set it by the arrow. Get something a little abrasive and scrub the balancer then spray it with wd-40, you'll see the marks.

 

get a wire brush and clean off balancer and use pointer as indicator

 

chalk the balancer marks and wipe off the excess...the bright white will stay in the lines and numbers

14* might be steep unless your running 92+ octane and it's not hot outside

timing and tps are usually not issues w/ drivability that u r chasing

the biggest are spark and vacuum

start w/ the basics.....don't use platinums, close the plug gap up to .035" and see if that cures it.

if you have old wires, cap, rotor replace them

then you can eliminate the possibility of fuel....hook up a fp guage to the fuel rail and when it has issues, see if the fp falters...if yes thats it

90/100 times it's spark related (bad wires, dizzy mod, bad plugs, etc) the other 9 being vac the rest gremlins

 

Question NitrousBob and i donot mean to intrude on the topic but at 13* timing think i can get away with 87 or 89/91 octane?