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Another great writeup from Naz off of mighty

Have you ever wonder how to check the timing on your 5.0 Mustang?
Well, here is a quick and easy guide. Just follow along and get some FREE Horsepower and Torque! Also, will help you fight DETONATION as well!

These are the tools of the trade:
1. Inductive Timing light.
2. 1/2" Socket and ratchet with extension or distributor wrench.
3. As an option you can use white out for making timing marks on damper if necessary or purchase timing tape.

Steps:
1. Turn off the engine and set your parking brake. Turn off all the accessories (radio, AC, etc.)

2. Disconnect the SPOUT CONNECTOR from the distributor so the CPU does not automatically change the timing when you move the distributor. Very important is that on 87-93 Mustangs the spout is located at the end of a wire that is hanging near the distributor and on 94-95 it’s near one of the strut towers. Don’t forget: Do not lose the spout connector!!!



3. Connect the timing light.

4. Connect the positive and neg clips into the positive and neg terminals on the battery.

5. Clip the inductive lead of the timing light into the number one (1) spark plug wire (For the Mustangs it’s the first spark plug wire on the left side of the engine).



6. Make sure there are no wires hanging near the belts!!!, Pulleys!!! Or the Fan!!!!.

7. Check to make sure you can see the actual timing marks on the harmonic balancer. If there are no timing marks I may want to crawl under the car and mark where you like the timing to be set with white out or tape. At 10 degree BTC (Factory Setting) and up to 14 degrees depending on your needs and your modifications. Very important: Anything above 10 deg will require 93 octane gas or your car will DETONATE and could cause engine damage!!!!! Listen for detonation and turn your timing down if needs to be!

8. Loosen the distributor hold down bolt. Don’t take it all of the way out, just loosen it a little. If you take it all out the distributor gear will skip timing when you start the car.

9. Now start the car, and point the timing light at the timing marks and pull the trigger, you should see the light flashing on and off, and you should be able to see the timing marks, or the mark that you made with the tape or white out. Be careful not to let the timing light or your hands get caught in the belts or hit the fan!

10. While holding the base of the distributor turn it very SLOWLY until you get the timing where you want it! Clockwise to RETARD timing and Counter wise to ADVANCE timing.

11. Tighten the distributor hold down bolt and re-check the timing to make sure the distributor did not move.

12. Turn the engine off and reconnect the spout connector.

13. Take the STANG for a ride and listen for detonation…if none present enjoy your 5-10 HP/TQ gain!!

great write up ... Im gonna borrow it too

I did, lol This was done by another guy on Mighty called Nazman, but thanks

the most important part of this is that spout connector!!

I learned this one the hard way when I was a kid out at the drag strip and couldn't the timing right after dumping a lil av gas in it. After fumbling with it for a few runs an old timer came over and started talking to me, and he pulled the spout, I dialed it in, and it didn't ping! Now that I'm the old guy, I try to pass these tricks down to the high school kids!