I'm stumped!

So I have a 1988 B2200 Ext Cab 5-Speed. It ran great for about 2 weeks when I bought it. The Guy I got it from said he replaced the Valve seals, he replaced the Fuel Pump and filter. he also replaced cap, rotor, plugs and wires. He bought it off an old guy that had let it sit for 10 years before he got it. Christmas morning I went to go to work It was about -20 degress here in Alaska. It ran rough like a 2 stroke dirt bike. SO I assumed it was the Sending unit. I replaced the sending unit today finally and no diffrent. So I replaced the fuel filter and fuel pump again just incase. Still no diffrence, so I pulled the plugs, nasty black, cleaned them all still ran ruff. So I moved the distributor around just to see. So now it runs better with it like this,


SO I am thinking that maybe when it was so cold and I started it maybe it sliped a tooth on the timing belt, Any ideas would help me out alot!

Pull off the timing cover and check timing. My '88 B2200 also Cab Plus 5-speed is pretty close to middle of the slot, and I used a timing light.

That picture shows your timing is off.

Look here for checking the timing.

Pull the cover off the timing belt and it was off a tooth. Fixed that runs great now thanks everyone.

Good, Mikey. But if it ran great for a couple of weeks and then jumped a tooth, feel like you should investigate WHY. Maybe you need a new tensioner or timing belt?

It was -20 out so who knows what was shrunk or frozen shut. Seems to be fine now. The belt looks brand new.

A belt almost ALWAYS "looks brand new" - get a belt and change it - it'll be the best $20 you ever spent (except for that $20 that Mrs. cusser got off me that time)

Never had a belt skip a tooth, and -20 is not all that cold here.

I would keep a very close eye on it and I too would replace that timing belt. Just because it runs well now it may not later...

If it were me, I would pull the top cover, line up the timing marks, put whatever slack is in the belt on the tensioner side and loosen the tensioner to push out the slack, then re-tighten the tensioner bolt. (14mm) Then I would rotate the engine a couple times with a wrench to make sure teeth aren't missing off the wear side of the belt.

Timing belts don't just jump time.

And you don't want a problem like this to come back and leave you stranded.