Can anyone help with this problem? I have an 83 E-250, with the 351/5.8 engine and the van had started bogging/stuttering when in gear. Power decreased. I just changed the plugs/wires. The new plugs carbed up very quickly and it sounds like I need to adjust the distributor/timing a bit. It feels like the van has far less power and is still bogging, though less than before.

Does anyone know where the bolt is to loosen the distributor so I can nudge it a bit? Does it seem like the timing might be an issue? I have good compression at every cylinder, new cap/rotor, plugs/wires. It sounds like normal (which was always very smooth) when in park and I rev it. But when I put it in gear and drive it the bogging starts.

Any advice is appreciated.

-Neug

 

I would be looking to the fuel delivery system if you have a good ignition spark. Poor timing will reduce power and revs, but is unlikely to produce the symptons you detail. What colour are the deposit on plug noses? Have you checked for air leaks on the induction side?

 

Hi John. The deposits are black and powdery. I'd love to check for leaks on the induction side, but honestly I'm not sure how to do that. I had a feeling from the start that it was some sort of leak. it all began towards the end of an 1100 mile drive.

how do I check for those leaks?

thanks for the help!

-neug

 

Morning , you didnt say as to weather its a carb. engine or fuel injection , it being a 83 should be a carb. model, the dist. bolt is right at the base of the dist. you might have to scrape some of the gunk off it , should be a 1/2 hex head bolt , a lil tricky to get at unless u got a dist wrench , sometimes depending whats not in the way you can get a regular wrench on it.

Also one other thing is the vechile have cat. converters on it ??? , if they have plugged up , or the muffler , it will have loss of power an soot up the plugs as well.

To check for intake leaks just start it up , get a can of carb. cleaner an at idle spray around the base of the intake at all points , an check your vacumm hoses as well , if it has a leak the enginge should speed up,,,,,

 

Thanks Ramrod 48. If it IS the catalytic convertor that's plugged up do I have get a new one or is ther a way to unplug it? it makes sense to me that that might be the problem since it happened as I was driving over 1100 miles. By that I mean it was fine, I was chugging along, doing 70 and the next time I stopped I noticed the effects... as though the clogging was building up as I was driving. Plus, it's probably the same cc that's been on the van for the past 22 years.

I checked for intake leaks... nothing showed up. I'll give it another go after today. I have to pass out from too much food today.

Thanks again for the help. I appreciate it.

-Neug

 

the easy to do it, I dont know where you live or how your neibours are, but drop the exhaust loose, an take it out for a ride ---- dont confuse the noise for preformance. but if its the cat Converters you can get aftermarket ones now days for like $80.00