HammerMTB

It's tough for me to gauge what to call a "pro" job and what to call a "backyard" or amateur job. Pump timing is not difficult (to me), but at the same time it requires special tools, and the procedure is involved. It's not anything that can't be worked thru, but if your experience is limited to air & oil filter changes, it will seem daunting.
Yes, the timing on our CTD's will slip over time, especially those '94-'98's that had their pump gear nut undertorqued from the factory. It doesn't slip much, or very fast, very often. If it does slip a lot, or quickly, it is immediately noticed by the white smoke and lack of power.
The "up" side is that if you go to the trouble of setting the timing, you can adjust it to a spec beyond stock, improving mileage and power. Such a deal! ;D ;D ;D I am going to adjust mine to ~15 or 15.5 when I get a chance.
Can you find another gearhead near you to help you with the project? It may seem a lot easier with someone who's done it before. I'm sure there are instructions around here somewhere, too.

dave0415

A word of warning about taking the timing to far. I had the misfortune of having a shop miss on setting the timing lock during a complete overhaul on my pump. It got worse when I took the whole truck to them to get it set right. Two days lost with the problem not found or admitted to ect. The shop ended up setting the timing via the farmer method. (by sound / throttle response) What I ended up with was close to 21 degrees of advance resulting in; a blown head gasket, warped deck, and cracked pistons. I am now waiting on parts and the Snap On $204, part number SP-500, guage and adapter to set the timing acurately myself.

torquefan

If it goes right, it's not a bad job, with the right tools, but if the shaft turns during retorquing, you can end up with 60 degrees, or worse, and spend most of the day getting it where you want it. Even after setting dozens of these trucks, I still have days like that.

Jim Fulmer

Sorry to hear you troubles Dave, on the farmer method there is nothing wrong with it as long as you know what your doing, if you could hear a truck at 20 degrees....(mine) and another at 15 or 16 there is a world of difference between the two, now having said that mine might have cracked pistons in it too......I could careless but that is me and not you'll. When I tear it down you will get to hear what the High HP and 100's of passes did to the stock bottom end!

Jim

Mostwanted

Jim,
What part of OK do you live? I'd sure like to learn how to do this from someone with expieriance. Oh, and does the motor rattle more when you up the timming? ;D. I heard that the open exhaust will be a little louder. But, really I am looking for the performance gains.

Jim Fulmer

I live just SW of OKC off of I-44 right before the turnpike.

Yea at 20 degrees and big injection lines it's a raspy but it's quiet now with no turbo's.

Jim

98rammer

i've found that advanced timing is a lot more metallic sounding- louder too. i'm running a marine pump so it acts differently, but it's plain loud when she's cold, nothing like when i had the stock pump on it.

i saw the cummins diesel dragster there, that was way too metallic sounding for a normal street vehicle if it was in one (for me)

Tom