I figured whats wrong with my 85...

So the mystery is solved why my 85hp force doesnt run correctly. Long story short, the person working on the engine before me screwed up.

First, my engines model number is 856x4L, which I believe makes it a 1984-1985 engine.

The person who had been working on this engine obviously had attampted to upgrade the ignition system by installing 1988-1990 components. These include the 1988-1990 coil packs, stator and trigger. Here's where he goofed, he installed a 125hp (4cyl) trigger instead of the 3 cyl 85hp trigger.

He got the stator right, because the stator for both the 3 and 4 cyls is the same, only difference is cyl 3 is jumped to cyl 1 on the terminal board with the 3 cylinder version.

The trigger, however, is a different story. No matter how you wire it, you will have a dead stroke if you attempt to use a 4 cyl trigger on a 3 cylinder engine...duh! =-)

Now, my question...having the wrong trigger is making my firing order wrong. The 4 cylinders fire 1,3,2,4 on the 4 cyl and 1,2,3 on the three cylinder, so I need to get a 3 cyl trigger in there to fix this problem. Is my 1984-1985 engine (block, stroke, etc) similar enough to the 1988 that a new 1988 3-cyl trigger will work correcly? If so, a new trigger should fix this problem right up. If not, Ill need to buy all new coil packs, CDMs, stator AND trigger...which is considerably pricier.

Any thoughts on this compatibility?

Re: I figured whats wrong with my 85...

As long as your block originally had Prestolite ignition--and if the four cylinder trigger fits, it did, --then any three cylinder trigger will fit.

However: Early triggers, CD boxes, and stators had quick-connect plastic wire end fittings while later units were made-up on a terminal board. Internally, there is nothing different so you would just clip off the ends of the quick-connect type and crimp on spade or loop fittings.

If you look closely at and compare the inside surface of the trigger rings, you will see slots provided for both three and four cylinder. The aluminum casting is the same, the wires and coils are positioned differently inside then potted.

Me? I prefer the quick-connect fittings--less cluttered looking although they are more difficult to change wiring to the boxes.