I have a '74 Ford F-100 302 V8

So I went to my local parts store and picked up a set of plugs/wires and new distributor cap/rotor. I got home and found the the cap or rotor wont fit my distributor. I have one like this - JEGS High Performance - ACCEL 5.0L CAP & ROTOR -21609

Anyways that's not my problem. My problems is after realizing that the new plug wire would not fit my cap, I pulled them all off to return them expecting that the firing order would be the normal 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 but I wont start now that I got my new plug wire on. I even tried the 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8, nothing. The truck ran fine before I pulled the old wires off and I checked fuses and if I might have knocked anything lose but everything looks fine. The motor just turns over and wont do anything. I don't what to do.

 

Your '74 has been upgraded to DSII, the parts house gave you the smaller cap/rotor for a DSI, just ask for parts for a '76 up.

 

Your firing order should be 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 unless you have 351 or 5.0 HO cam, is the carbon nub in the middle of the cap, and center brush on the rotor.

 

Still wont start. I have triple checked the plug wire placement (1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8), made sure I went counter clockwise, rotor is spinning as the motor cranks, I have spark at the coil, and the plugs are gapped at .035 (what the parts store guy told me).

 

**Edit** Disregard, I see you posted while I was finding the info.

Remember the distributor turns counter clockwise too.

 

Yes and I cleaned all connections with a scotch pad.

 

Try opening your gap to .044. I think the .035 is for the points ignition.

 

The old plugs are gapped at .035. Even if you are right the truck should still start.

 

Just a shot in the dark. Good luck getting her running.

Have you looked to see if the pulgs are wet after trying to start it and have you tried starting fluid yet. I agree it should at least try to fire. If you have spark, the only things left are timing and fuel related.

 

You obviously F'ed up the firing order, it's the ONLY thing that's been messed with, redo it, again, unless you had a pickup coil go bad at this very same moment there's not much else it could be.

 

Tried it anyways but no luck. Didn't notice the plugs being wet and I 'm getting fuel to the carb for sure. Any other suggestions?

 

Pulled all the wires and re-did and double checked. 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

 

Pull the number one plug. With the cap off so you can see the rotor; crank it with your finger in the spark plug hole. Notice where the rotor is pointing when you get compression. Maybe a previous owner put the dist in wrong and fixed it by changing where #1 is in the cap. Could be one hole or 180 off? Just a thought...

 

Already had that though. Unfortunately that's not the problem.

 

the wires marked here in red when the plastic gets old i have had them individually pull out of the plug


good luck