Caravelle 4.3l motor troubles--please help

Caravelle3708

Recruit
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
4
I have a 2002 caravelle 4.3l and need help with a few things--the motor ticks a bit when given full throttle and is sluggish out of the hole. I have changed plugs, wires, cap, fuel filter, etc. I was going to check timing but the sticker on balancer is gone. Can anyone tell me how far 10 degrees from TDC is from the hash mark on balancer. Also, the base timing mode wire when grounded does not have any effect when timing--any ideas?? Thanks, Brian
 
Last edited:

jkust

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
Re: Caravelle 4.3l motor troubles--please help

What type and pitch prop is on there? I have an 03 Gl and for some unknown reason this year it revs past 5000 at wot when last year it coudn't get past 4850 and then when over reving I hear a slight ticking so I back off. I however don't have the sluggishness out of the whole and the only thing that changed from 4850 wot to over 5k wot was winterization. What are your wot rpm's when you hear the ticking? Just out of curiosity, how many hours are on your motor?
 

rbh

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
7,939
Re: Caravelle 4.3l motor troubles--please help

that ticking may be because your timing is to advanced. set base timing, and check manual to find out what the rpms should be when full advance is in.
IE 36 degrees at 3000 rpm.
rob
 

45Auto

Commander
Joined
May 31, 2002
Messages
2,842
Re: Caravelle 4.3l motor troubles--please help

To find out how far from the TDC mark on your balancer 10 degrees is:

1) Multiply diameter of balancer by 3.1416. This gives you the circumference of the balancer.

2) Since there are 360 degrees in a circle, divide your answer from #1 above by 360. That gives you the distance along the circumference of the balancer per degree.

3) Multiply your answer from #2 by 10. That will give you the distance from the TDC mark for 10 degrees.

Simple formula format:

Distance for 10 degrees = Balancer Diameter x 3.1416 / 36

(the divided by 36 is because I reduced the "divide by 360" in #2, then "multiply by 10" in #3 from the steps above to a constant)

For example, if your balancer is 5" in diameter:

5 x 3.1416 / 36 = .436 inches

In this case 10 degrees = .436 inches on the balancer circumference.
 

Caravelle3708

Recruit
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
4
Re: Caravelle 4.3l motor troubles--please help

I will have to find out prop pitch. As for other--the ticking is just when motor initially revs. It seems that it is retarded not advanced because it ran better when advanced a bit. Thanks for equation, I will measure and find out. As far as base timing mode, I can't seem to get mine to work. I put the jumper to the motor mount from pur/wht wire and nothing changes when revved whether it is on or off?? I have simply put the timing back where it was for now. Motor only has about 100 hours on it, and the hesitation is just getting out of the hole. Still raps out on top end just not bottom. It used to last year with same prop/settup. Any other help appreciated.
 
Top