bad news.. i cant get it to run. ive doublechecked the timing numerous times, and it puffs out the exhaust.. but thats about it. there is a valve on the exhaust manifold right by the outlet to the tailpipe. anyone got a clue what that is? and to get it running, i'm priming it manually just to make it hit.. but it wont even try to hit. i'm a bit lost here.. i've spent plenty of time w/460s but no i6s... any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Timing on ALL I-6 is the same, 1-5-3-6-2-4, the 300 was our practice engine, tear it down, put it back, and fire it up, no new anything, not even head gasket, purred like a kitten, almost didn't hear it running.
Have you set the valves, correctly tightening the rocker arms, if not, that'll keep it from running?
Is there a spark?
The valve is for when the engine is cold.

 

it seems to be getting a spark because it was shooting flames out of the egr tube.. the rockers are torqued to 10ft-lbs. is there any certain position where that valve should be?

 

You torqued them with the pistons in the cylinder in it's power stroke, they have to be closed to get it correct, that's why the process takes so much time.
Flames out the EGR tube indicates it firing out of time, exhaust has to be closed during the firing process, or the valve is too tight, holding it open, when it's supposed to be shut.

 

i did torque them with the pistons on the power stroke, and the spec in a haynes manual said 4.5-15 pretorque on the rockers... i dunno if thats right but it sounded ok to me as a baseline... the timing seems to be right, its pointing at the #1 cyl wire on the dizzy when its near the top of the compression stroke.. the dizzy spins clockwise correct?

 

Some require back off of 1/4 turn, I can't find it on the I-6 of yours, no book.

 

well i was talkin to my engines teacher about it and he said if they are bolts than they are not adjustable.. he said there should be a torque spec.. thats what haynes told me but i dont entirely trust their stuff...

 

Hydraulic lifters in many fords (if not all) adjust the valve gap by themselves. It's possible the distributor is out of time. It might look dead on, but be 180 degrees out.

Don't pull the strib - just swap the wires on the cap straight across, one at a time.

Did you get a compression test?

You could also have a bad ignition module if its a dura spark II system, sure sign of it would be signs of gunk running out the bottom of the module. That happens when they overheat.

One good way to static time it if it has breaker points is to pull the distributor cap, line the timing marks on the lower pulley up at the spec, have the key on and rotate the distributor until the points just open. You should see a spark at the point gap. MAKE SURE THE POINT GAP IS SET RIGHT. About .024, or the width of a match book cover if you don't have a feeler guage.

-Now there's some old time tech for ya!!!


*Haynes is mostly useful if your sunday paper didn't have a comic section in it...

 

it runs! the dizzy was 180 out.. i lined up the timing mark on the firing stroke on the #1 cyl w/#1 on the cap, and it fired right up smooth as silk... what should i torque the rockers to? it seems to chatter a bit more than most. thanks for the help ya'll, i appreciate it. and if someone has a radiator and or shroud that they'd be willing to sell me near here than that'd be helpful too heh... thanks again

 

I would actually tighten the rocker bolts by hand - but I've been doing things like that for a long time. The spec is 17 to 23, I'd go with 20. Use a beam type torque wrench so you can hold the torque on the fasteners in case of "bolt creep". That will give them a solid torque 'set' without overtorquing.

Some of the chatter will go away when the valve covers are back on. As long as they don't "CLACK" you're okay. If they are new lifters they may need to wear in. Someone once told me the best way to run in new lifters is to hold the engine RPM's at 2,000 for a solid minute on first fire-up, but the first time you take it out on the street you'll be at 2,000 to 2,500 rpm anyway during normal cruising.

If they are old lifters - try some Lucas...

 

Hey guys just wandering if any of ya might have a Flat bed for a 88 model long bed im wanting to switch it and I need some f250 fender emblems and what kind of springs should I use on the rear mine are real week and I haul metal in it all the time and getting tire of it squating on me it dont need to use the restroom lol... I got it all back togher and have it sitting in primer and ready to paint it was an f150 xlt with tow package but now its a f250 with tow package I swaped every thing but dont have my 4x4 in it yet im wateing on the money to get new stuff to do my hubs and stuff with...
but I need really strong springs in the rear...

 

Your frame is what makes the whole truck, so be careful how far you go.

I have an '85 F250 I've been thinking of pulling the flatbed off of, it's a real monster! If I do pull it off it I'd trade it for a fleetside bed.

I think you should look at some F250 and/or F350 spring sets at some of the local yards. I stuffed an F350 dually rear axle up under my F250 but the springs were already beefy enough for what I wanted it to do. You can also add "COIL-OVER" shocks, but I think they're too much of a pain in the butt. They're not cheap either...

Scrapyards are a good place to hunt down emblems too if you don't absolutely have to have new ones.

 

Come to think of it - later on I think I'll design and build my OWN flatbed to match the cab width and roof line. All it takes is square tube, some cutting, and some wire-feed welding.

 

well it seems i got it roadworthy, cept a set of rims and tires. anyone got any big bolt ford rims+tires for sale? Thanks!