Alright, I don't have the cord to download the pictures I took but I made a new discovery.

I got the truck running finally but it was running rough and almost sounded like it was choking out the tail pipe. After keeping it running for about 30 seconds to a minute with the gas pressed I noticed alot of heat on my leg hanging out of the door. I shut it off and looked under to find the exhaust glowing red from the cat to the muffler. . .

The tail pipe wasn't glowing but the muffler and cat were bright orange along with the pipe between.

 

Here's the photos i promised.

 

The link for the 88 manual doesnt work in there. I have one though. Thanks for sharing!

 

i would unhook the exhaust forward of the cat start and see if theres a change,might just be a clogged cat!!!!

 

Finally some pictures...

Your cam timing looks good, so no need to take the timing cover off. Your off by a tooth on your ignition timing. Your rotor is at 11 oclock and it should be at 10.

Sounds like your cat may be plugged or there is a restrictioin in there somewhere.

 

I cut the exhaust from infront of the cat.
Reset the distributor to sit at 10 and still no dice. I've turned the distributor in the smallest increments either way. It will run if I hold it WOT but it runs like a damn tractor.

 

The cat could be plugged or it could be all the gas going down the tailpipe thats causing it to glow.
Try removing the o2 sensor and then see if it starts this will give the exhaust a place to go.

 

Sorry looks like you already cut the exhaust. When it runs at WOT how high is it reving?

 

Not very high really. This little beauty doesn't have a tach so I don't know for sure.

 

It really sounds like the timing is off but I cannot figure out where

 

Bump for any other suggestions before I start looking for a shop.

 

Have you tried setting the distributer gear 1 tooth counter clockwise?

 

Yep. Still no change

 

This may be a dumb question (for which I apologize in advance), but are you checking the ignition timing with a timing light? Otherwise, you're just guessing.

The hot exhaust line (and other symptoms) sure sounds like retarded ignition. For the money http://www.harborfreight.com/xenon-t...ight-3343.html I'd make sure I knew what the timing actually was before doing something difficult (okay, you've already cut the exhaust line, but that didn't help.)

 

Well everyone, the motor is runnning. i took the intake manifolds off plugs wires, and distributor and re-installed everything hoping i would do whatever i mixed up, right. I'm not sure exactly where my issue was but i still believe it was timing related. either way i must have corrected whatever mistake i made. There was still sitting gas in the manifolds so maybe drying them out helped. Still need to set the timing once i get EVERYTHING squared away.

But the success was short lived. I went to take her around the block and down the road to a gas station. (only about 5 miles). The whole ride she was very slow to get up to speed in any gear. At the top of fourth, gas pedal on the floor, i could not get the truck over 37 mph. Not sure of the RPM since i dont have a tach but it would not accelerate any more. Before this swap (and before the motor died obviously) the truck ran surprisingly fast. Much faster than my 90 v6 auto and my buddies 89 v6 manual. now she just rolls like a turd. Could i have screwed up something with the clutch. I did not replace the flywheel since i had a mechanic look at it and claim it looked fine.

 

good luck man, keep at it and you will find all the issues

 

Thanks man, im so close i cant give up now

 

No power at higher RPM is a clear indication of a timing issue.

 

Thanks snobdds, i'm picking up a timing light and probably a small, dash mounted tach this afternoon.

 

Well its been a while since i got the motor in and running.

I haven't been driving the truck much since i still cannot get the timing set correctly. I picked up a timing light from HF and a cheap tach from a local parts store.

After jumping the terminals under the hood nothing changes, timing or idle. after alot of searching i was under the impression that it may be the TPS; So i replaced it. still no change.

it has plenty of power on the top end but really bogs down low and the exhaust still seems abnormally hot. According to the timing light, my timing mark is about 1/2" to the left of the 12* timing mark above the crank pulley. This is with the dist. turned all the way to the firewall. If i re-set the dist. a tooth to get more adjustment, it throws the mark way off and the engine runs like crap. Could it be a bad distributor?

I am also getting alot of valve noise making it sound like a diesel. I know i have some egr leaks but this noise is definitely coming from the head.

I really need to figure this out since i am needing the truck more and more lately but do not want to drive it like this. Thanks!!