Mercruiser 888 Timing Issue - Confused!

[bobcox]

Hi Folks,

I'm working on a Formula 233 from 1972. It has, I believe, a Mercruiser 888 or something similar but perhaps earlier. Ford 302 V8, engine is not marked "Mercruiser" anywhere but it is an 888 Outdrive. Has aftermarket aluminum valve covers marked "Powered by Ford"

I am putting it back together and I can't get the timing right.

First, I pulled the valve cover and located TDC by feeling the top of the piston on the #1 cylinder with a chopstick through the spark plug hole (starboard side forwardmost, the cylinder closest to the belts on the bank furthest forward) and verifying that it was the right stroke by looking at the valves. TDC by my measurement was about 35 degrees advanced of where the original mark on the harmonic balancer is. I checked it 3 times; the 0 mark on the balancer is halfway into the firing stroke for #1. Dunno how that happened but whatever.

I put the distributor on and ran the wires following a diagram I found for the Ford 302 and my Clymer Merc manual, 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8, counter-clockwise. No go. Couple front fires through the carburetor. Then I turned the distributor to line up #1 with where the mark on the balancer was. Still nothing. I've tried the wires in the opposite order, double checked everything, twisted the distributor a little ways one way and the other way... can't get it to go. I have good spark at the cap and the plugs, I have fuel. Its still out of time.

Any tips on how to get it in time?? Am I missing something? Once I get it running I'll put a light on it and dial it in, but I can't even get it to fire.

Thanks!

 

[bruceb58]

Are you using a timing light?

 

[Bt Doctur]

viewing from the flywheel , what direction is the flywheel turning

 

[bruceb58]

BTW, you can use a timing light even if the engine isn't running.

 

[dylan_g57]

this might sound silly but i had had it happen to me. i went through same thing and when i put the distributor in i put it 180 degrees out and had a heck of a time getting it to start. i had to call a buddy and after half an hour of scratching our heads we finally noticed i was out a full 180. who knows just a suggestion though.good luck!

 

[achris]

Something to be aware of. A 'standard' Ford 302 engine has firing order 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8, but a Mercruiser/Ford 302 is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 (which is the same as the 351 engine firing order), as you stated in the first post. If someone has put a car engine in place of a dead (cracked block, seized engine, etc) block, then you may still have an automotive cam, in which case your firing order will be different.

Chris......

 

[bobcox]

Thanks for the input! Still not going though...

Looking aft in the boat straight at the front of the engine, it turns clockwise. The distributor, viewed from above, turns counter-clockwise.

I haven't been using a timing light yet, I should at least be able to get it to run just by eye. I don't think a timing light it helpful at this point.

Its not out 180, I've checked again and again.

A different firing order! I was excited to try this but it didn't work... fired through the carb again.

Shucks!

 

[iand464]

Is the advance stuck all the way forward? Or maybe the cam chain slipped? #1 on a ford is different than a chev. It would be the front passenger side cylinder if it was in a car.

 

[achris]

You may need to resort to pulling the valve covers off and working out the firing order by the valve sequence....

 

[Bt Doctur]

..............................

 

[Bt Doctur]

To be perfectly clear, a motor for a I/O turns clockwise looking at the front pullys and the flywheel turns counterclockwise when viewed from the flywheel

 

[NHGuy]

And, going back to basics. Is there spark? Is the battery lively? Is there fuel?

 

[achris]

Is the advance stuck all the way forward? Or maybe the cam chain slipped? #1 on a ford is different than a chev. It would be the front passenger side cylinder if it was in a car.

Passenger side???? Nope, driver side to me. Let's just say that Cyl#1 is on the starboard side of the engine... Lest there be confusion.

Chris......

 

[Scott Danforth]

First, I pulled the valve cover and located TDC by feeling the top of the piston on the #1 cylinder with a chopstick through the spark plug hole (starboard side forwardmost, the cylinder closest to the belts on the bank furthest forward) and verifying that it was the right stroke by looking at the valves. TDC by my measurement was about 35 degrees advanced of where the original mark on the harmonic balancer is. I checked it 3 times; the 0 mark on the balancer is halfway into the firing stroke for #1. Dunno how that happened but whatever.

Your balancer could have slipped causing your timing mark to be off 35 degrees. If that is the case, the ballancer needs replacing.

Ford motors have the #1 cylinder on the Right or Starboard side 's GM with #1 on the left / port side. Ford's have 2 firing orders for a standard rotation motor.