Originally Posted by Mr. Fixit

81-F-150-Explorer and others: I have a similar problem with our '76 F250 - 460 engine. She usually runs fine (except for guzzling the fuel!) but lately is becoming much harder to start when cold. Yesterday she began running real rough and then quit with a strange "run-on" sound - then dead (with a ton of firewood in the back!!!)

I noticed that during the hard starts over the last weeks in the morning, after a good crank and no start, when I turned the ignition switch off, there was a single cough each time.