I was driving to the gas station a few weeks ago. I was very low on gas. Two blocks from the gas station the truck died, I assumed I ran out of gas. I put a few gallons of gas in the front tank but it still wouldn't start. I put five more gallons in the front tank, and put five gallons in the back tank. I had never used the back tank, I bought the truck in February and never bothered to put gas in the back tank. Anyway, truck still wouldn't start. I replaced the fuel filter, which was clogged up, and thought that would fix it. Engine just spins, kinda acts like its trying to start, but mostly just spins. My father comes over and hears it trying to start and says he thinks it is the timing. So we turn the distributor to retard the timing and it starts and runs, runs rough, but runs none the less. So we decided the timing chain has either jumped a tooth or the chain has too much slack in it. I change the timing chain, and just my luck it has the silent type chain instead of the cheaper double roller set. I removed the SPOUT connector and set the timing to 10 degrees BTDC and it just spins over and won't start. I can retard the timing to about 20 degrees and it will start and run pretty good, good enough that I drove it to the gas station and back a couple of times. But if I step on the accelerator quickly from idle it will just die. If I accelerate very slowly it will stay running and has plenty of power. A few times while sitting and idling it will just sputter and die.

After all that...my question is, where do I start trying to figure out what is wrong with my truck? Has anyone else had a similar problem or have any ideas what the problem may be?

 

You start with the codes.
Run the KOEO self-test and also see if you have any codes in CM.
If you get any codes in KOEO fix that and when you have no more hard codes in KOEO then run the KOER self-test and see what you get.

If you do not know how to run the self-test go to this link:
Ford Fuel Injection How To Run a Self-Test

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When you put the timing chain on you lined up the marks right ?....

 

I don't think he did. How can you retard timing at idle to 20 degrees. Makes no sense.

 

Thats what im thinking , or a balencer problem....

 

I am positive that the timing marks on the crank and cam gears were lined up correctly.

Ran the self test: KOEO just got 11 KOER got 213 SPOUT circuit open, 225 knock sensor signal not sensed during dynamic response test, and 632 overdrive cancel switch not changing state.


I knew the overdrive cancel switch didn't work before.

Where do I go from here?

 

Theres something wrong with your timing or balencer , with 20 deg of retard somethings wrong , or it could be the distributer gear , how did that look.....

 

I pulled the distributor and the gear looked good with very little wear the pin holding it to the shaft was good, no movement on the shaft.

All I can think is maybe the balancer or timing pointer has been replaced causing the discrepancy on the timing marks. My main concern is the dying when I step on the accelerator , or the dying for no reason when sitting at an idle sometimes.

Thanks for all the help.

Kelly

 

Oka yes your timing may be out of 10 degrees BTDC but you said it dies when idling sometimes? Open circuit on the SPOUT connector... that doesn't sound too good. Isn't that a critical needed component? Isn't the spout what sends the signal to the computer and advances the timing when engine starts running faster.

 

Even if the balancer or timing pointer has been replaced causing the discrepancy on the timing marks it would not have effected it all at once going down the road as stated in the first post.

We need to find out why the engine stopped as he was driving it. He said he replaced the timing chain. Was the old one bad, slipped or that loose? It does not sound like it. He has a SPOUT error and I think I have heard this problem on here before. After the guy replaced everything and the problem was still there he replace the computer and that fixed it.

 

Yeah the SPOUT error has to be solved that's why the truck will not run if he steps on it. What if he tries to replace the SPOUT before he attempts the computer? Hey Subford you know your ford stuff... can I replace my AOD with an E4OD? I don't expect plug and play just want to know if it's possible.

 

The SPOUT is just a shorting bar and if he put it back in and the timing moved or the engine died immediately then the SPOUT is good and as I said I recall one that did the same thing on here. If he would do a search on the SPOUT error I am sure he would find the Thread. I am not telling him to replace the computer but that was the other guys problem.

 

I did the test again and got the same codes. The SPOUT shorting bar is in place. I can't tell a difference with it in or out when I am adjusting the timing. I drove it to work yesterday and again today, it will run fine for a while then it will start sputtering under a load, then a few miles later it will clear up and run good again. Both times, today and yesterday, I stopped for coffee and it wouldn't restart. Yesterday I shut it off and it wouldn't start so today I left it idling and it died when I put it in gear to leave. I had to adjust the distributor to get it to start both times. Seems like if I try to restart it when it is hot from driving it won't restart until it cools down. The temp gauge it working and is running in the normal range.

 

I installed a new computer today. Still doing the exact same. Ran the KOER codes again and got the exact same codes. Any one have any new ideas where to go next?


As for the timing marks not being right, I think the balancer is spun and that's why I can't time it by the marks.

 

Replace the balencer.....