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Timing at TDC with picture what’s wrong here?

FEandGoingBroke

New Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2017
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11
Got a 71 bronco with a 74 truck 302 crank in it E4TE A3A balancer. Top dead center is at the mark in the picture.

What’s causing this?

Woodruff key in crank straight up. Have new balancer, same position.

I’m stumped. And dang it I can’t insert a photo 🤬🤬
 
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FEandGoingBroke

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Sep 11, 2017
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If you become a contributor for a cheap $12 a year you can post all the pictures you want
Figured it out for a fb link. I don’t want to get underneath the timing cover if I can help it but it looks like I’m going to have to.
 

jamesroney

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Sep 11, 2007
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Figured it out for a fb link. I don’t want to get underneath the timing cover if I can help it but it looks like I’m going to have to.
I don't understand. Why would you open up the timing cover?

You installed a late model, 4 bolt damper on your early model 3 bolt Bronco. Your 4 bolt damper is looking for a water pump with the water inlet on the driver's side, and the timing pointer on the passenger side.
The Bronco 3 bolt damper is looking for a water pump with a radiator inlet on the passenger side, and the timing pointer on the driver's side.

Even though the Bronco (and the Econoline van) used the 3 bolt damper until 1977...the generally accepted nomenclature is that the 3 bolt damper is 1969 and older, and the 4 bolt is 1970 and up. (Because that's when Ford decided to move all of the water inlets on the passenger car line to the "other" side. They also gave priority to the power steering pump at that time. So the primary belt runs the crankshaft, water pump, and power steering. The secondary belt runs the alternator. It's one of the more dumb things that Ford ever did, because it made pulleys impossible to find and totally mismatched after 1970.

Your timing pointer is pointing to about the 2:00 position, which is correct for a SBF 3 bolt damper. Here's a pic of a Bronco one.

You can just mark it and time if from there...but you will never find Ford pulleys to fit it.
 

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FEandGoingBroke

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Sep 11, 2017
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Well here’s where I went wrong. Customer brought me the 70 bronco saying that’s the original motor that was rebuilt. I just removed the starter a few minutes ago and found an E7TE block meaning it’s an 87 block with a cast date of November 30, 1989….


So I’m still gonna pull the timing cover to make sure that the gears and Shane are in good condition since I have a new coil double roller here for it and then put the 1969 bronco shit back on the front and use some timing tape to correct for the driver side pointer.
 

jamesroney

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Sep 11, 2007
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Well here’s where I went wrong. Customer brought me the 70 bronco saying that’s the original motor that was rebuilt. I just removed the starter a few minutes ago and found an E7TE block meaning it’s an 87 block with a cast date of November 30, 1989….


So I’m still gonna pull the timing cover to make sure that the gears and Shane are in good condition since I have a new coil double roller here for it and then put the 1969 bronco shit back on the front and use some timing tape to correct for the driver side pointer.
Uhm, yeah…no.
E7TE is a 5.0 roller block. It will be 50 oz-in imbalance.
The early 3 bolt dampers are all 28 oz.

So you might want to start looking for an aftermarket 3 bolt 50 oz conversion damper.
Or bolt on Explorer front dress.

(Coincidentally, that’s the reason why my damper in the picture is not on my engine.)
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
But timing tape can be your friend no matter what engine/crank/damper/timing cover/water pump combination you have.
Even if the engine was all stock '71 Bronco, replacement dampers are not guaranteed to have timing marks in the correct orientation. The installer has to verify correct matching parts literally every time just to be sure.

Paul
 
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FEandGoingBroke

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Sep 11, 2017
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The block may be a roller block but the timing cover the heads the exhaust manifolds and water pump are all 1969/70 date codes. The alternator and water pump run perfectly off the 4 bolt 50 ounce balancer. And I’m installing a roller chain and gears right now. And timing tape to correct the timing mar position tomorrow.

Lord it was bugging me before I said screw it and dropped the starter to check the casting.
 

Rustytruck

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Feb 24, 2002
Messages
10,875
Maybe give Damper dudes a call to see if they can get you what you need.marked the way you need it.
 
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FEandGoingBroke

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Sep 11, 2017
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You know that might be a real thing! I have used them many times in the past and love their work, all that’s necessary is to make a new set of timing marks for the 2 o’clock position.

If it were my bronco I’d do it! But timing tape will do for now. 😎😎
 
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