1994 Ford Bronco 5.0L XL Hesitates when Starting/Hesitates when Accelerating.

[CDA 455 II]

That’s the right way to do it. Bar the motor over to top dead center on #1 and set your firing order from there. My way is just the quick figure out which cylinder is missing way.

After confirming the firing order is off I’d bring it to top dead center, verify where the rotor is pointing, and set the firing order from there. I’m a shit bag, so I wouldn’t restab the distributor if it was off, but I would mark the new #1 on the cap because I’m also a dumbass and wouldn’t remember.

First off, get a white marker and a flashlight, maybe a mirror, a 15/16" deep socket on a long ratchet pull the number one plug, stick your finger on it, and verify #1 TDC compression stroke

You can't really trust the balancer markings, they slip and screw you over

The white marker is so, only after you verify compression stroke, you can screw around and make a mark when you first see the piston move this way, then a mark that way, then a big mark in the middle, getting you close enough to center that and set your distributor #1 from there


It's common enough that the last guy working on your truck staged the distributor wherever and started the firing order on his new #1, and then you swapped the cap and set #1 where the book says it should be

With all due respect; this is waaaay over my head/paygrade.


I only understand, "pull the spark plug"; after that (SWISH!!!) over my head! 😕

 

[CDA 455 II]

15/16” is for the crank bolt. He’s talking about rolling the motor over by hand. I think 24mm will also work?

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!


Will I feel the piston press against my finger when I stick my finger in the spark plug hole?

 

[Projectjunkie]

Key off

Get a helper if possible

Pull #1 plug

Two full rotations of crank equals one rotation of the distributor

Spin crank with ratchet, clockwise, righty tighty with your finger plugging the hole.

When it builds pressure, it's on compression stroke, so you're close to where you need to be.

Stop there, shine a flash light in there ave watch the piston rise and begin to fall, now you're within 60 degrees of the 720 degrees of a full combustion cycle.

DON'T roll the engine over again, switching the ratchet forward and back, or going to a breaker bar, rocking it sbf watching the piston, and using hi and lo marks from your maker on the balancer, splitting the difference, narrow that 60 degrees of crank rotating that all looks pretty much the same looking down a spark plug hole... you've now narrowed it down to close enough to make a mark on the balancer

This mark may happen to be on or near the factory "TDC 0" mark meaning your balancer didn't spin, "yet" or "much"

Now, you plug #1 with your finger again, spin the engine two full revolutions clockwise from the front, as you approach your new mark on spin #2, you'll feel pressure building, get it to your mark, perk in the hole, see the piston at the top, put the plug in.


Now, and only now, can you go to your distributor and verify #1 And start lacing wires

 

[Projectjunkie]

You were EMS IIRC, you work the flow chart, nothing matters until the heartbeat is established, you got this

 

[CDA 455 II]

You were EMS IIRC, you work the flow chart, nothing matters until the heartbeat is established, you got this

Yes; 25 years: 12 on the am-bal-lam side, and 13 in the E.R.


Thanks.


I've been mentally chewing on the solution for the code 211 over several days; I'm getting a grasp/understanding (and balls) to tackle it.

I think it'll take the same several days to absorb/understand/get a grasp of what you're describing regarding finding TDC.

 

[Projectjunkie]

He's unresponsive, hrs chest isn't rising and falling
You're getting lost in the guys medications and what his GF is telling you, take his pulse already



Forget about the code for now, look in the spark plug hole

 

[CDA 455 II]

He's unresponsive, hrs chest isn't rising and falling
You're getting lost in the guys medications and what his GF is telling you, take his pulse already

Trivia:
If patient's chest is rising and falling, said patient has a beating heart.
If patient's chest is not rising and falling; check said patient for a pulse, because a patient CAN have a heart beat yet not breathe.
However; it is impossible for a patient to breathe without having a heart beat.

Forget about the code for now, look in the spark plug hole

I was using the code to illustrate how my brain comprehends/absorbs info.

 

[Projectjunkie]

Trivia:
If patient's chest is rising and falling, said patient has a beating heart.
If patient's chest is not rising and falling; check said patient for a pulse, because a patient CAN have a heart beat yet not breathe.
However; it is impossible for a patient to breathe without having a heart beat.


I was using the code to illustrate how my brain comprehends/absorbs info.

Bingo, check three pulse

Set TDC compression stroke

 

[CDA 455 II]

Bingo, check three pulse

Set TDC compression stroke

Ideally; when I find TDC manually, the harmonic balancer's marking should match it.

Correct?

 

[Projectjunkie]

Ideally; when I find TDC manually, the harmonic balancer's marking should match it.

Correct?

Yes, but they are prone to slipping, so once you find what you think is 0d TDC, 5 minute job, spend another 5 min rocking the thing bank and forth judging actual 0d TDC

 

[CDA 455 II]

Yes, but they are prone to slipping, so once you find what you think is 0d TDC, 5 minute job, spend another 5 min rocking the thing bank and forth judging actual 0d TDC

'
To find as close to 0* TDC as possible; correct?

 

[Projectjunkie]

'
To find as close to 0* TDC as possible; correct?

Yup

Anything within 15 degrees should start and run without a miss, adjusting the timing in that range will raise and lower the idle

 

[CDA 455 II]

I installed the black ICM (after disconnecting neg cable).


Started her up/ran the same for a couple minutes.

Then it hiccupped, and then sounded normal/smooth/pre-problems.

However; the vibration remained/not as violent/but more than pre-problems.
Or; half as bad as it was.

I ran code reader; no new codes, not even 211/212.

 

[holdmypocket]

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong but perhaps the computer "needs time to learn/adjust?"

 

[CDA 455 II]

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong but perhaps the computer "needs time to learn/adjust?"

'
Yeah; I was thinking that too. 🤔

 

[Levigarrett76]

Did you replace that egr valve? You can check its operation with vacuum hand pump, opening it should cause rough running, should close upon release of vacuum.
Do you have a vacuum gauge?
Do you have a vacuum hand pump?

I think you have a vacuum leak somewhere causing a lean stumble. The hard plastic lines get hard brittle and crack/crumble. Notably the white line that runs to the in cab hvac controls and lines on engine.

You can test with vacuum pump to see which lines will hold a vacuum, check the cannister also if yours still has the metal one, they switched to plastic b 94 iirc.

Icm usually fails when hot, but yours is remote mounted as a result of class action lawsuit of ford for mounting them on distributor.

Pip usually fails with heat and slowly begins to misfire and ping/knock till it eventually wont run at all until truck cools off

 

[holdmypocket]

Piggybacking on above.. I fought a very elusive vacuum leak that turned out to be the vacuum tree in the intake manifold and simply needed to be re-tightened. Pissed me off.

 

[Levigarrett76]

These trucks r very sensitive to small vacuum leaks because they run on the ragged edge of lean already.

Both my 89’s had a few minor leaks that really improved the way it ran and drove and eliminated off idle stumbles.

Check your engine vacuum at hot idle. Should be 19-21 for a healthy stock engine.

 

[arse_sidewards]

EGR valve is stupid easy to troubleshoot. Block it off and unplug the connector. You'll get a CEL but the computer will know the valve has left the building and will run the engine accordingly. This methodology works for a lot of shit on EEC-IV Fords.

 

[CDA 455 II]

Yes, but they are prone to slipping, so once you find what you think is 0d TDC, 5 minute job, spend another 5 min rocking the thing bank and forth judging actual 0d TDC

Yup

Anything within 15 degrees should start and run without a miss, adjusting the timing in that range will raise and lower the idle

Setting the timing without a timing light

nOOB questions:
Once I find TDC manually, and not having a timing light; can I still set timing?

Or:
Once I find TDC manually; now what?


How accurate is this statement:

to set your base timing without a light, you just turn the motor over in it's normal direction of rotation until the mark lines up with where you want it.. loosen up the distributor and hook up a spare spark plug to the #1 plug wire.. turn the distributor until it sparks.. tighten down the distributor.

I want to check/set my timing but don't have a timing light.

 

[Projectjunkie]

nOOB questions:
Once I find TDC manually, and not having a timing light; can I still set timing?

Or:
Once I find TDC manually; now what?


How accurate is this statement:


I want to check/set my timing but don't have a timing light.

Have you established 0d TDC compression stroke?

Have you put a "good enough" mark on the balancer?

 

[CDA 455 II]

Have you established 0d TDC compression stroke?

Have you put a "good enough" mark on the balancer?

That happens today.


I put the new black ICM in.

Started the motor:
Exhaust smell rich of fueI
Idle 'sounds' normal but...
Engine vibrates, although half as bad as pre-black ICM. But more than when normal.

 

[Projectjunkie]

It's a 10 min job with basic tools, enough stuff has been touched on your truck that you need to establish a baseline to move forward

Find a narrow range of TDC, make a mark

Find compression stroke, set to TDC

Verify #1 on distributor has the rotor pointing at it when on your new balancer mark.

Go wire by wire verifying firing order

Start and run

Report back

 

[CDA 455 II]

'
Waiting until I get paid next week in order to continue this ordeal.

 

[CDA 455 II]

Ordered a timing light a device that screws into spark plug hole (#1).


Said device is spring-loaded that rides the piston helping determine where TDC is.

 

[ArTi54N]

after a while I stopped reading,, I was trying to see if someone was gonna ask about the tilt of the vehicle..

I spent some time hanging around my uncle's shop..

something about those older broncos not behaving the same depending on the angle where you park.. or the conditions of the road when having problems

Im guessing during page 2 or 3, someone prolly brought it up..

 

[CDA 455 II]

Haynes repair manual:

UPDATE
Lincoln and his buddy stopped by to take a look and listen at the engine.

They concluded sparkplug wires must be crossed somewhere/suggested replacing the 5 year old sparkplug wires while I'm switching wires around.

So I ordered Ford Racing 9mm sparkplug wires.


The above Haynes diagram on the right shows my current wire placement ('94 5.0L).

Turns out Haynes is WRONG!


After further research; found the LEFT diagram should be the proper wire placement.

Removed old wires/connected the new ones as per left diagram.

Fired her up; sounds/looks great!


Drove her around town/working as expected.

 

[Lincoln]

Nice and I’m glad you got it. Sorry we couldn’t stay long. We made it back with the rescue trailer right as the snow started falling.

Fat Jason got nervous when a cop started following us. I told him we’re towing an empty trailer with magnet lights, on Sunday night, tires hopping off the ground, and it sounds like it may just rattle apart at any moment. He won’t even question when I say I gat a great deal. Nope, He didn’t want the hassle and turned at the next intersection,

 

[FordFascist]

So I pretty much nailed it on the first page.

Firing order is the most common SBF problem in the parts store world when doing a tune up.

 

[CDA 455 II]

So I pretty much nailed it on the first page.

Firing order is the most common SBF problem in the parts store world when doing a tune up.

Yep; as I've found out.

Talk about taking years off my life.