Idle driving me crazy

[BLKHAWK611]

Did your '95 have a 4.6? The 5.0 didn't have that low of timing that I remember, even with spout out. Also, your '02 pics don't look like an '02 body style. You sure that's an '02? Just curious.

My 95 has a 5.0 but I also a 2002 GT 4.6 2v

 

[BLKHAWK611]

My 95 has a 5.0 but I also a 2002 GT 4.6 2v

With spout out it set 0⁰and with the spout in it brings to 10⁰ TDC

 

[95opal]

With spout out it set 0⁰and with the spout in it brings to 10⁰ TDC

With the spout out you should be shooting for 10*BTDC min.

 

[BLKHAWK611]

With the spout out you should be shooting for 10*BTDC min.

With the spout out you should be shooting for 10*BTDC min.

with the spout at 10 degrees? max is 14 degree. so with spout in it will be 20 plus degrees is that what you are saying for a 95 5.0?

 

[95opal]

Correct. Some guys will lock it out at about 18*.
Spout out 10*... you can bump it until you hear detonation and back it down. Kind of old school but that's how we did it back in the 90s lol

 

[weendoggy]

I used to set mine at 14° spout out. Connected will command about 20-22°.

 

[ttocs]

I thought 10-14 was the number most aim for but as I said I am not the motor dude. Opal is that dude...

 

[duh09]

Correct. Some guys will lock it out at about 18*.
Spout out 10*... you can bump it until you hear detonation and back it down. Kind of old school but that's how we did it back in the 90s lol

Had to put that 93 in and twist the dizzy for all the power in high school for me

 

[95opal]

Had to put that 93 in and twist the dizzy for all the power in high school for me

Sunoco Ultra 94 was the go to and if ya had the money you topped it off with some Cam 2 on a Friday night lol

 

[Terrorist 5.0]

With no timing and high octane no wonder you are having issues. With the highest octane I can get I have mine set at 9 BTDC, any more and it starts pinging, although I’m gonna try 10 again pretty soon once the rain clears up.

Stick some timing in it! Your ass dyno will notice it big time.

 

[Terrorist 5.0]

Also, just for the future, checking timing with the spout in isn’t something you are really supposed to do. With the spout in, the ECU will start playing with timing, so what you will most likely see is the timing mark jumping around at idle, and if you rev it up, then the timing changes.

 

[BLKHAWK611]

Also, just for the future, checking timing with the spout in isn’t something you are really supposed to do. With the spout in, the ECU will start playing with timing, so what you will most likely see is the timing mark jumping around at idle, and if you rev it up, then the timing changes.

I check timing with the spout out and then set and then replace the spout

 

[BLKHAWK611]

Correct. Some guys will lock it out at about 18*.
Spout out 10*... you can bump it until you hear detonation and back it down. Kind of old school but that's how we did it back in the 90s lol

Thank You, I will bring it in and adjust fire. Glad I am here.

 

[BLKHAWK611]

@95opal - l set the timing at 14 degrees and now for a test drive

 

[ttocs]

I bet the idle and drivability are much better now?

 

[Terrorist 5.0]

@95opal - l set the timing at 14 degrees and now for a test drive

Be careful at 14 degrees, my car doesn’t like anything more than 9 degrees and I’m on premium. No vacuum leaks, and my sensors check out, all tested. Some cars just don’t like timing. And remember, any pinging you can hear is pretty bad, especially if it is really loud and noticeable.

 

[BLKHAWK611]

I bet the idle and drivability are much better now?

night and day wow.. very enjoyable...ty..ty

 

[BLKHAWK611]

Be careful at 14 degrees, my car doesn’t like anything more than 9 degrees and I’m on premium. No vacuum leaks, and my sensors check out, all tested. Some cars just don’t like timing. And remember, any pinging you can hear is pretty bad, especially if it is really loud and noticeable.

 

[BLKHAWK611]

I come to find out the hard way after five different shops and few hundred dollars, no one could help me with my idle problem or timing. This place did not cost me anything and my problem solved and it was the MAF sensor. Don't buy cheap and spend the money and save yourself time, and the headaches. thank you all for your insight

 

[ttocs]

they/we get a lot of old cars back on the road here. Unfortunately modern mechanics are not taught proper troubleshooting methods short of plugging in the computer and reading what it tells them, and often doing that wrong. Every mechanic should learn the art of the technical tap I learned it my first freshmen year decades ago and it is amazing how many things I have figured out because of it.