Timing (I think...) (1 Viewer)

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FineWynsFJ40

FineWynsFJ40

Too much to do...
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
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Location
Grand Haven, MI
Ok, so I was on my way back from Drummond Island, about 4 hours out and 1.5 hours from home, and coming up to a 4 way stop I had to jam on my brakes. My right foot nailed the brake about a second before the left hit the clutch, and I stopped pretty hard, but in time. Taking off from the 4 way, idle was OK, but any RPM above idle was rough, with LOTS of backfiring, and chugging, and I pulled over w/ engine running at idle.

I believe that my timing got F*d up, how exactly does the timing work on a cruiser? Where is the timing belt, or is it a "zero tolerance" and did I really screw something up, or a minor fix? BTW my starter also went out, have to hand crank it - new from Toyota for $35, I got the last one in inventory!!

P.S. The trails on Drummond are fun, and a stock cruiser can tackle 99% of what I came across, the other 1% was a veritable cliff... Extended differential breathers are a MUST, as well as travelling by pairs or some sort of recovery option (i.e. come-a-long or winch) just in case... The Explorer and I are 1-1.

Recap: Timing, what can/should I do?
 
Timing on an F engine is a gear, not a belt. I find it unlikely your abrupt stop affected that gear significantly. However, the fact your "starter" went out at the same time points me in the direction of that corner on the passenger side of the engine compartment. The starter, coil, and distributor, which is where you adjust your timing, are intimately connected.

Lets say your distributor jumped a gear tooth or so, or at least loosened and twisted in it's little hole at the same time the wire from your ignition pulled off the starter. You might have your scenario, there.


YOU NEED A MANUAL!
 
If the only action that led to the poor running is spanking the brakes, I'd suspect the booster, or something jarred loose or popped off.

Rule out the timing in a few mins with a light, but Cruisers are gear driven so unlikely it was effected by a hard stop. Vacuum leaks will cause backfiring (lean condition), so check the line to the booster from the intake, listen for a hissing/whistling sound. Rule the booster out quicly by plugging the line at the intake side, but be aware your brakes won't be power assisted.
 
IDave is right, you need a manual. It would tell you all the engine and ignition timing is gear driven. No chance of jumping a tooth, breaking a belt, skipped chain, etc.

Spaceghost is right, something got jarred loose. Specifically, a piece of crud in the fuel system. The symptom is the engine idles fine, so the timing is right, spark & compression are present. But engine starts to backfire and stumble at speeds/loads above idle, indicating a weak mixture. Could be trash blocking the pickup screen in the tank, a restricted fuel filter, weak fuel pump (dirt in the valves), or last but not least, crap in a carb jet.
 
I have to rebuild the carb, it was shaken loose and a piece of the Man-It-Ain't-Free spacer (stupid PO GM Rochester poorly installed...) cracked, so we tried JB Welding it... I'll try those, with the intake scenarios... BTW I have a manual, just hadn't consulted it before I posted. I'm glad it isn't the gear, for it would be a rather difficult PITA to work on them. I will rebuild the carb and starter, check the intake and distributor set up, then go from there. Thank you very much guys, it's a great reminder of the quality of people on this forum.
 
BTW, FJ40Jim, you rebuild carbs, right? Could you PM me with rates and what you could do for my GM Rochester 2 jet, and what shipping and other things would be involved? Thanks!
 
FineWyn,
Yes, I do work on Toyota carbs. There is not much to be done with the old rochester though. My suggestion would be to try limping along until you can find someone parting a '74 FJ40 and get the throttle linkage, carb, air cleaner, fuel lines, etc. off another truck. I can come up w/ a carb, but it's all the other parts that are hard to find.
 
I see how the carb base vacuum leak would cause poor running, but what about the starter thing? Why would the starter quit in a quick, hard stop? And if theres such a bad vacuum leak, how the heck does hand-cranking it get the thing going? I can't get mine to start hand cranking to save my life, and it starts easily with the electric starter.
 
No, the starter died earlier in the trip. Today I'm renting a tow dolly to go retrieve it, and I'll check out the things above. Thanks.
 
Well, just in case, I'd make damn sure the distributor is seated properly before you go running it for more than 1 minute. You know the Romer story.
 
this doesn't really apply but i had a pretty hard stop once and my battery wasn't tied down properly... it was rattling around and knocked my dizzy way off. had the same problems that you describe (good idle, rough at other rpms) took me a few mins to figure out because the battery didn't look like it had been jostled.

IDave, what's the Romer story?
 
chuglife said:
IDave, what's the Romer story?
Click to expand...

The Romer story is, essentially, the distributor didn't quite go back in all of the way, so it didn't engage the oil pump. Engine ran poorly until it seized (crankshaft bearings burned).

It's also happened to me, and many others as well.

The thing is, all that holds the distributor in is that clamp at the base, and if it gets loose, look out!
 
Ok, I'll have a look see. Thanks.
 
FineWynsFJ40 said:
...and I'll check out the things above. Thanks.
Click to expand...



Have you checked any of the items listed above?
 
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