hi there,
The timing of my car is changing all the time and you struggle to start the car, when you try to start the car one guy must turn the distrubutor and one must crank the engine, on a very bad retarded timing the car will eventually start but it will misfire very badly, then you can adjust the timing a little bit but not too much but the car don't want to ref over 3000rpm
I took the car to a auto electrician and he tested the distributor and coil and could find nothing wrong the engine timing is also correct. can it be a computor problem.Eventually I took of the head and it seams to have blown the gasket on number one piston. do you think this this will be the problem.

1. The headgasket problem will simply cause it to idle a little rougher, not that bad.

2. This could definitly be a computer problem, but I'd point to the TFI module first. Are the dizzy and TFI module original Ford or are they aftermarket (i.e. ACA)? If it's an ACA (the logo is on the TFI module), replace it as they can be dodgy (I had one). If it's Ford Bosch, you might wanna look at replacing the TFI module/dizzy first, this may be cheaper. If it's definitly not these, it's probably a computer problem.

Hope this helps, Pete.

If you're head gasket is totally stuffed then yes, this could be causing all your problems. I've had a few head gaskets go, and sometimes there's not much of a difference to the running of the engine, and other times, your engine will hardly run.

Geez, watch your fingers . . . .
I'd suggest setting base timing correctly (if possible), then sort out your head gasket.
Also note where the dizzy rotor sits when you set up TDC to pull the camshaft, before pulling the head.

id be checking for a blocked cat converter. that will explain the hard starting, and the engine not reving over 3000 rpm

Me again, did the head gasket eventually but it still doesn't want to start. we did change the outer module on the distrubutor but the trigger power that goes to the coil isn't constant 8 volts it changes all the time. there is spark on the sparkplugs but it is very weak. tired of struggling with the car ,going to make it burn.