Engine: 5.8L 352
Purchased the truck for $1,000 running decently. Seemed as though it should have been running better, but was running none the less. Replaced all the spark plugs and made sure they were gaped @ ~0.034 with all new spark plug wires and a new dostributor. (Trying to do everything by the book as this is my first truck.) I looked up a firing order for the truck and all I could find was: 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. Every book / site said the same. The timing that the truck was currently running with when I bought it was MUCH different. About 6 different plug wire positions. I do not know what the firing order was, but it was VERY different from what I set it to. Set the points to .017. After doing this the engine would not start. I pulled one of the plugs as it seemed as though it was not sparking and noticed it was a bit wet as if it flooded. I pulled the carb and noticed it was leaking where the gas fumes go. (Area you look down into when you remove the carb.) I got a carb rebuild kit and rebuilt the carb. Put some gas in the carb and its leaking out the bottom still. Planning on getting another one from pickapart and building one good carb and giving it a shot. Also installed a new oil pump, fuel filter, changed oil, flushed / refilled radiator, etc.

Anyone know how the previous owner could have had the plug wire / firing order so off and it still running?

Any idea why the carb would leak where it was? I couldn't notice anything when rebuilding.

Truck is also smoking and knocking a bit but would like to actually get it running again before I move onto the next issue.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

The distributor and rotor doesn't "care" where the #1 cylinder is located on the cap - just so long as the firing order is correct. This can cause a lot of head scratching and makes for some brain exercises to get it right. The cap itself may just be 180 out. Sometimes it's best to start from scratch. You still need to start from a known reference to figure out what's what at least. Determine the firing order for the installed engine - and the correct location of the #1 cylinder, and remove that spark plug.

Note where the distributor cap #1 tower is oriented and mark the body of the distributor with a sharpie there and remove the cap. Turn the engine over by hand with a wrench and with your thumb over the spark plug hole note when the compression stroke blows your thumb off the hole. At this point the timing mark should be in line with 0 deg TDC on the damper. When you are satisfied that you are for sure at TDC on the # 1 cylinder, note where the rotor is indexed - it should point exactly at the #1 location.

If it doesn't, remove distributor and reinstall so rotor points to #1 location. This can be a PITA, and why so many wires/caps are all wacked out - people just start the sequence of wires wherever the rotor happens to be pointing rather than messing with the distributor itself. This will work, but... Connect the rest of the wires in the correct firing order and routing in a counterclockwise order.

 

Most Fords are numbered 1234 on the passengers side and 5678 on the drivers side looking from the front. All FEs are, which yours is.

 

Lots of time firing orders are forged into the intake manifold.

 

Ford V8
352, 360, 390, 406, 427, 428
Firing Order

<TABLE border=0 cellPadding=10 width=204 align=center><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD class=BWBluehead2 vAlign=top noWrap align=middle>Cylinder Numbering</TD><TD class=BWBluehead2 vAlign=top noWrap>Distributor Rotation</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD></TD><TD>
Rotor Under Cap Spins:
Counter
Clockwise
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Torque Specs
These specs may not be correct for your application.
Verify your engine specs with a service manual for your year and model.
always torque bolts in three equal increments
<TABLE border=1 cellPadding=2 width=392><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD class=BWhead2 width=181>Bolts or Parts</TD><TD class=BWhead2 width=103>Lube or Sealer</TD><TD class=BWhead2 width=80>Torque to:</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Main Caps</TD><TD>Engine Oil</TD><TD>105 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Main Cap Crossbolts
(406 and 427)
</TD><TD>Engine Oil</TD><TD>40 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3 align=middle>Warning!!!
If you are using ARP bolts, you MUST use
their specs. Click Here!</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Connecting Rod Bolts *406 and 427
</TD><TD>Engine Oil</TD><TD>45 ft-lbs.
*55 ft-lbs.
</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Cylinder Heads
*1963-1967 427
</TD><TD>Engine oil
(blind hole)
Sealer
(water jacket)
</TD><TD>90 ft-lbs.
*110 ft-lbs.
</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Rocker Arms</TD><TD>Engine Oil</TD><TD>45 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Oil Pump</TD><TD>Engine Oil</TD><TD>15 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Oil Pan</TD><TD>Engine Oil</TD><TD>12 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Cam Bolt (upper gear)</TD><TD>Thread Locker</TD><TD>40 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Front Cover</TD><TD>Engine Oil</TD><TD>20 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Intake Manifold
</TD><TD>Non- Hardening Sealer</TD><TD>35 ft-lbs.
</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Valve Cover</TD><TD>Engine Oil</TD><TD>10 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Flexplate (Automatic)
Flywheel (Clutch)
</TD><TD>Thread Locker</TD><TD>85 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Clutch Pressure Plate</TD><TD>Thread Locker</TD><TD>35 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Centerbolt
(Harmonic Damper)
</TD><TD>Thread Locker</TD><TD>90 ft-lbs.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Bellhousing
(Transmission to Block)
</TD><TD>Engine Oil</TD><TD>25 ft-lbs.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



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