Distributor change

[KParrilla]

Does anyone know if the ford distributor uses the same hold down clamp as the prestolite Dist. I did the v8 ignition upgrade and it ran great for 50 or so miles then jumped time. I pulled Dist found tdc on compression stroke reinstalled Dist and retimed. THIS TIME IT ONLY LASTED to bottom of driveway Now again there is no power. She starts and idles fine.Im starting to think it is the rebuilt distributor but want to try the simple things first.

Thank you,
Kevin

 

[Torxhead]

A possible slipping timing chain?

 

[tarry99]

Does anyone know if the ford distributor uses the same hold down clamp as the prestolite Dist. I did the v8 ignition upgrade and it ran great for 50 or so miles then jumped time. I pulled Dist found tdc on compression stroke reinstalled Dist and retimed. THIS TIME IT ONLY LASTED to bottom of driveway Now again there is no power. She starts and idles fine.Im starting to think it is the rebuilt distributor but want to try the simple things first.

It should be easy to tell if your timing has moved either at the distributor or at the crankshaft.............so you reset it and it went 20 ft what has moved?

 

[KParrilla]

Set it at 6 btdc and now it is 10 btdc

 

[tarry99]

Set it at 6 btdc and now it is 10 btdc

Well 6 versus 10 degrees would not make much difference and at 10 you would have more power than at 6..............It could be the distributor moving........so grab it mark it for reference and slowly see if you can rotate it? It would have to be pretty loose to move that easy.
Is this a point ignition or electronic? does it have a vacuum advance?
There is a chance that the breaker plate in the distributor is moving or perhaps the vacuum advance is moving it............but again I must say that a change of 4 degrees is not going to stop it from running or running poorly.

I would agree as Torkhead suggested perhaps you have a problem at the timing chain.
You can take your valve cover off on the number one side........bring #1 up to TDC and then but a breaker bar on the bolt in front of the crankshaft and slowly rotate the crankshaft in the direction of travel and see how much movement you have at the crankshaft versus the valve action on #1........
Obviously if your moving the crank a long ways and there is very little movement at the valve then you chain or pulley is toast!

 

[Old Dog]

I'd check the vac. advance and the mech. advance to be sure they are working smoothly and not sticking.
What happens when you have the light on it and rev the motor, is it working smoothly, does it return to where it started at idel?