Need Help Timing 1988 5.0

[Sn8kebitten]

So I've been having a lot of issues with my car trying to get it running from its non-running state I bought it in. A friend and I got it in timing enough back in September to idle and take down the road for a second but then we parked it and did a Cobra intake swap on it so I had to loosen the distributor to take the old intake off. Well ever since then I haven't been able to get it to fire up. I read online that I need to put the #1 cylinder at TDC so I bump the engine over until I feel it push air out of the spark plug hole with my finger. Then I pick the distributor up and turn the rotor until it's facing the #1 cylinder and drop it back down, then tighten it up and turn the cap to where the #1 plug wire is right on top of the rotor. I've read that im suppose to do it that way or that im suppose to turn the rotor to face the drivers side mirror but neither way will get this car to fire up. It just turns over and over and occasionally backfires like a gun going off when I let off the key. I've never worked with a distributor before so any help would be great

 

[TaraFirma]

Sounds like you have the distributor 180 degrees off, or maybe a couple of teeth off. When you say you turn the rotor until it's facing the #1 cylinder, do you mean the 9 o clock position? Like pointing toward the cylinder? If so, then it's off by a few teeth. At TDC #1cylinder, the rotor should be at the 12 o clock ish position so when you put the cap on its right at the #1 cylinder plug wire.

 

[Sn8kebitten]

Yes that's how I did it the second time using the 9 o' clock position. The first time though from reading older threads and using this diagram,
Untitled by Sn8kebitten, on Flickr
I pointed the rotor towards the driver seat or driver mirror and then put the cap with the #1 plug wire above the rotor. I told a few guys on a facebook group that that didn't work so they told me I needed to point the rotor towards the #1 cylinder instead of the driver's side

 

[big dad]

Yes that's how I did it the second time using the 9 o' clock position. The first time though from reading older threads and using this diagram,
Untitled by Sn8kebitten, on Flickr
I pointed the rotor towards the driver seat or driver mirror and then put the cap with the #1 plug wire above the rotor. I told a few guys on a facebook group that that didn't work so they told me I needed to point the rotor towards the #1 cylinder instead of the driver's side

If you used the firing order in that picture you posted that could be your problem. The firing order for a 5.0 HO is 13726548 NOT 15426378

 

[Sn8kebitten]

I just used the spark plug wire locations and distributor cap position from the picture for mine. Should mine be setup different from the picture because of the different firing order?

 

[FISHTAIL]

I just used the spark plug wire locations and distributor cap position from the picture for mine. Should mine be setup different from the picture because of the different firing order?

Yes. If your wires are setup like that, the car won't run. Also, remember to pull the spout connector when you go to set your timing with a light. Factory timing is at 10 BTDC. Most cars like 12-14 though, but before you fuss with that to much make sure your harmonic balancer is good...check to ensure the rubber hasn't degraded and allowed the balancer to spin.

 

[Jimboslice751]

This is how your distributor should be wired

 

[Sn8kebitten]

^i'm not sure if it's my iPhone but I can't see what that is. Just says name, gif, and memory size. But I haven't been able to go back to my dads but I'm pretty sure the wires are ran correctly or it wouldn't have fired and idled fine back in October. I'm not off work again until thursday so I'll be able to work on it then
Untitled by Sn8kebitten, on Flickr

 

[Jimboslice751]

It's a picture of the correct wiring for the distributor. If you ran the wires according to the 15426378 firing order then no it's completely wrong. it should be according to the correct firing order 13726548. it should go counter clockwise. the wire on the number one plug should go to the number 1 cylinder. Then the one right next to it going counter clockwise is for cylinder number 3, then 7, then 2 and so on according to the firing order. Google 1985 ford 351 distributor wiring since the 5.0 HOs had the same firing order