I just rolled in, I forgot to pull the ignition mod to get it tested. I'm going to pull it after I write this. The dizzy is a new one, sorry for not mentioning it sooner, the old one had a loose shaft, I replaced it about 5 or 6 months ago. I'll try and do some of the other things mentioned tomorrow evening. Is there any other way to check camshaft/lobe wear, or is this a visual type of thing besides removing the valve covers? I'll hook the gauge and tune the carb, and also check the advance with the light. When I ran her last night briefly before the compression test, it seemed like she was missing some. I know this is prolly a syptom of many things, but could one be the camshaft as you mentioned? Last thing, don't know if this is some kinda clue or not. For the last few weeks, if I drove her and then shut her down, I could hear a tapping or pinging coming from under the valve covers on both sides as she sat there. I don't know if that means much, or maybe I'm thinking to hard? I dunno, I tired now, time to shower and get ready for the dreaded 4am wakeup call. Thanks for all your thoughts, later, Blair

 

That is usually just the sound of oil draining back from the heads. You may want to pull the valve covers and make sure that the oil return holes are not plugged. This will cause oil to build up in the valve covers. Check the pcv valve too. If it isn't fairly new, go ahead and replace it. they are only a couple of bucks.
Jimmy

 

Could also be the sound of the lifters bleeding down.

 

I got the ignition mod tested at AZ today, it failed miserably. Guy ran it 3 times while I watched, failed every time. I'm going up to Advance where I bought it to get another, should still be under 1 yr warranty. But I ask this, what would make it go bad? Also, how does this affect the way the motor puts out? I know guys refer to it as the brain box, but what's it in control of? Last, would this make the truck run like crap? I figured if it was bad, she wouldn't start all. As for the noise, I figured maybe I was worried for nothing, but had to ask. I got a sticky lifter on the Galaxie, truck sounded a little like it. Anyway, I'm off to Advance, back later tonight or early tomorrow with some more findings. Later, Blair

 

>But I ask this, what would make it go bad?

Heat is the biggest enemy of electronics. The aftermarket modules are junk, I have had way too many fail. The motorcraft OEM modules are good. Mount the module with spacers ~1/4" above the fender.

>Also, how does this affect the way the motor puts out?

Weak spark, won't ignite the mixture under power.

>I know guys refer to it as the brain box, but what's it in control of?

I never refer to it as the brain box because it does not have any processor or computer in it. The module senses the signal that the ignition pickup module in the distributor puts out and triggers the coil. It does retard the spark about 20 degrees for easier starts when the power to it is coming from the ignition start system.


>Last, would this make the truck run like crap?

YES!


>I figured if it was bad, she wouldn't start all.

-nope!

 

Good luck Blair, I hope that this cures your problem. Nothing better than 3 bolts and 2 plugs to cure your woes. If only all of lifes problem were this easy to correct!!' Jimmy

 

Well, yesterday morning, I put on the new ignition mod, hooked up the vac gauge and tuned the carb purty good. Also checked the timing and took her out for a spin. Well all I can say is *@$!%. As I got farther from home, the worse she started to miss. All my wires are new, plugs also. I made it up to the dump, and managed to unload her, but coming home was really terrible. I ended up stopping halfway back and giving the fella that oversaw my timing chain and gear install a ring. He said to bring it by and he'll go over it with me one night this week. I'm kinda spent trying to trouble shoot her. She has almost always that I can remember had a very slight miss, this is where we here at FTE and my friend and I also have discussed a couple valves not sealing. But, he said that in itself would not cause me a great deal of trouble, barely even felt it. We were supposed to do a leakdown to see what was exactly going on, but never got to it cause of hunting season, and she was running pretty fair overall. But man, she was missing like a champ going over to his place. I didn't check any of my wires or anything, other than the fact that they were indeed plugged on tight, like I said they are new, coil, plugs, dizzy, it's all been replaced over the last 3-6 months a little at a time. We're supposed to hook up later this week, I'll post what ends up being the apparent problem. Thanks for your time and input so far, I'm gonna make her scream yet, later, Blair

 

Sorry to hear that Blair, This has really wierd. I believe that we have covered all of the obvious stuff. Let me know what you find out, I'm curious to know what you find.
Jimmy

 

Check. I don't get it, but I chalked that up to my inexperience. I'm hoping that we can figure it out relatively easily, but that is where my friend comes in with his experience. Funny though, has almost every thing replaced or at least checked over, prolly something simple. (Hoping) Supposed to look it over tomorrow night, later, Blair

 

Well last week came and went, not enough time to mess with her. We got together Friday evening, and started rechecking everything. After going thru everything from timing, and compression tests, and checking wires, and having ignition mod retested even though it's new, we started looking at the carb. Although new, seemed like I was getting way to much fuel for the spark to ignite. The plugs were really fouled and they were new to begin with. We went over my settings, mix, checked the choke for proper setting, still had some misfire and smelled rich when driving behind the truck. I couldn't tell this before, but both my friends said thier eyes were burning when following me this week. Couple weeks back she gave me a backfire thru the carb when I was cranking her over pretty hard. The battery was low and she almost wouldn't catch. The new Holley's are supposed to have blow-out protection, but I don't know how that actually works. We ended up putting in a new power valve and cleaning the plugs off. SHe cranked up and I hauled *** all over the backroads like you wouldn't believe. I brought her back to his house, and for grins we pulled a plug out of each cylinder bank, both were starting to foul again. We have run her twice more, both times with no real troubles, although she backfired through the carb once on him we he was trying to get her to start yesterday morning. This was before I came over and cleaned the fouled up plugs. So if he didn't blow the power valve again, I'm thinking that may have been it. Game plan is to come home and run it until warmed up every night this week, see if we can duplicate the misfiring, see if it is blowing power valves for one reason or another. Otherwise, he said it doesn't appear to be a motor problem, overall, he thinks my motor is actually pretty healthy and it is almost certainly the carb is the culprit. I'll post back when we cover some more test runs. Thanks, Blair

 

Now you know why I don't use Holley carbs on daily driver engines. Get rid of the Holley and put on an Edelbrock.

 

Sounds good. My advice would be to check the power valve again and while you have it apart, drop the jet sizes in the front by 2 numbers. Say if you have 76 jets, install 74 jets. It sounds like it may be just a tad rich on a good power valve. Glad to hear she's running again though, and that it was no MAJOR problem. I think that I have cured any problems that I may have with my truck too. I went and bought a 2001 F150 SuperCab Off Road 4x4. She is black and pretty sharp. only 26,000 miles on her too. I may have to sell the old 77 now, I don't know yet.
Best of luck to ya, Jimmy

 

Thanks for the tip on jets, I'll have to look into that. I was glad this was it for now, best she has run in quite a while. Just glad I don't have to feed her to get to work. That's where the 2000 F-150 comes in. No matter how bad the old girl gets, I still can get to work no problems. For now, all is good. Eric, I have been contemplating that move to Edelbrock, I am leaning in that direction after this problem though. Power valve blowout protection my butt. Thanks for your help, hopefully future driving will yield no more problems. (Knocking on wood) Later, Blair

Don't sell the 77 man. Just park her, you'll regret it in the long run. Well, I know I probably would. Black is an excellant choice of color, silver would be a tight second. Hope you enjoy it, later.

 

I'm sure I'll keep the old 77 for awhile. She's been pretty good to me. I'll update my gallery with some pictures of the 2001 when I get a chance. Glad to hear that yours is still running this time. I hate to see a Ford that won't pull itself. I'm used to seeing Chevy's and Dodges that way. Jimmy