Engine Wont Start...
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From: Galvin, WA
Engine Wont Start...
truck is 86' f250 with a 351w. ive replaced the carb the coil and the brain box. the cap and rotor, spark plug wires, and spark plugs are pretty new but the truck sat for some time before i bought it. i dont know why it wont start. its making me pretty angry. someone please help me lol.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
Likes: 92
From: Denver Metro Area, CO
With the engine off, take off the air cleaner, look down the throat of the carb and fully open
the throttle with your hand, you should see two strong-looking streams of gasoline being
squirted.
Pull a wire from a spark plug, put it on a screwdriver and hold it close to a ground while you
have someone try and start the engine, you should see a strong, blue spark as that cylinder
tries to fire.
the throttle with your hand, you should see two strong-looking streams of gasoline being
squirted.
Pull a wire from a spark plug, put it on a screwdriver and hold it close to a ground while you
have someone try and start the engine, you should see a strong, blue spark as that cylinder
tries to fire.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From: Galvin, WA
thank you, and yes ive looked and seen the fuel squirt. its good. the spark is good. but now another problem lol. the engine oil is full of gas... im draining it now and letting it sit with the oil filter and drain plug off to help evaporate more of it. i dont know why it would have gas in the oil though... any ideas? again, thank you for the reply!
FTE Legend
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 53,892
Likes: 2,371
From: NY and VA
Lots of gas?? probably fuel pump leaking. It's possible that enough gas got around the piston rings so as to lower the compression. It wouldn't hurt to pull the plugs and squirt a little oil into the cylinders, then turn the engine over a few times before replacing the plugs. Do this after finishing the oil change. While fuel pump is off see (feel) how much slack there is in the timing chain. The cam gear is steel so you don't have to worry about the nylon gear problem. I think I got the P/S pump out of the way for easier fuel pump access, (also installed an inline fuel filter)
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,950
Likes: 2,718
From: Virginia
If you have been messing with this thing a long time, and the carb has been flooding the engine, that could be where the gas is coming from, and also would be the reason it won't fire, it has fouled the plugs.
If the carb is not pouring the fuel into the engine, then yes, the fuel pump can also leak into the engine.
If the carb is not pouring the fuel into the engine, then yes, the fuel pump can also leak into the engine.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
Likes: 92
From: Denver Metro Area, CO
I had a fuel pump leak into the crankcase not real long ago, it was even relatively new and
only around one year old:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...crankcase.html
only around one year old:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...crankcase.html
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From: Galvin, WA
the carb seems to work fine... i guess it could be flooding. im not really pumping gas into it but there is some standing fuel when i look down the carb and see the bottom of the manifold.
Trending Topics
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,950
Likes: 2,718
From: Virginia
There should never be liquid fuel below the carb. I would pull the sparkplugs after you get the oil straightened out, and see if they are wet and fouled with fuel. If they are, you may need to get new ones.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Ford Super Duty: 5 Things Owners LOVE, 5 Things They LOATHE!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2026 Ford Truck Engine RANKED from WORST to FIRST!
Michael S. Palmer
The Best F-150 Deal of Every Trim Level (XL through Raptor)
Joe Kucinski
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
Likes: 92
From: Denver Metro Area, CO
I thought your plugs were fairly new.
Get a remote starter switch to hook to the battery & solenoid, peer down inside the carb as
you turn the engine over and see if you can find from where these puddles are originating.
Are your plug wires installed correctly. Is the rotor installed. Does the rotor turn. What
happens if you spray a shot of ether (starting fluid) into the carb as you try and start it. Is
the output pressure & flow rate of your fuel pump OK.
I would look at those things before I began throwing parts at it.
Get a remote starter switch to hook to the battery & solenoid, peer down inside the carb as
you turn the engine over and see if you can find from where these puddles are originating.
Are your plug wires installed correctly. Is the rotor installed. Does the rotor turn. What
happens if you spray a shot of ether (starting fluid) into the carb as you try and start it. Is
the output pressure & flow rate of your fuel pump OK.
I would look at those things before I began throwing parts at it.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From: Galvin, WA
the plugs are pretty new. is there a way to check to see f the fuel pump is leaking into the crankcase? my next step is to take my new carb apart and check it all out. readjust the floats and check the needles and seats. just to let everyone know. i did read the whole thread about the fual pump leaking into the crankcase. my truck is also sitting on a slight down hill slope. im thinking it might have happened to me also but not sure.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From: Galvin, WA
also, everything is sparking and rotating correctly. im thinking is a massivly over fueling issue... anyone have an edelbrock carb that can tell me how they exactly hooked everything up and the amount of turns on the ideler screws. anything else for the carb? my carb is 4 bbl 600 cfm electric chock. i forget the model number... lol.
New User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Happened to mine
Just posted on coil or distributer post about my problem and fix. My son took my 1980 F-150 with 300cid straight 6 to work. It sat all night and in the mourning would not start. Turned out to be the carb nuts were loose. Had gas in the oil and spark plugs were soaked and fouled. Changed oil and plugs tightened carb down and is running now.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 645
Likes: 1
From: Richlands, NC
Just posted on coil or distributer post about my problem and fix. My son took my 1980 F-150 with 300cid straight 6 to work. It sat all night and in the mourning would not start. Turned out to be the carb nuts were loose. Had gas in the oil and spark plugs were soaked and fouled. Changed oil and plugs tightened carb down and is running now.
Just because a few bolts were loose...
Sucks, doesn't it?