Well, I give up. The truck is parked in my backyard, I kicked it out of the garage. The next time I start it I'm moving it to my new shop (that I'm hopefully getting soon) I won't be touching it til then. Yesterday it un-folded like this:

Took apart top end, replaced the lifter that wasn't pumping up with known good one, took apart front cover, changed timing chain, put all back together started. Removed the distributor to re-clock the oil pump shaft came out with it Couldn't get it back in correctly, took front cover back off, re-assembled, started, set timing, ran real well for about 10 mins, then died, checked for fuel thinking a filter was clogged or something, opposite, it was flooding. Cleaned float and needle (there is a filter right before carb) re-started, noticed water leak at nipple into intake, took off water pump to change hose, turned out the nipple was rusted through, scraped out nipple, made new one out of Ford Ranger jack handle, etc. etc.

I know I'm missing stuff, since Thursday I've taken the intake manifold off and put it back on at least 10 times. And the grand finale: After it has all been put back together and timing set, carb adjusted, all running good all of the lifters are clacking again!!! Right back to square 1. There is more than enough oil with a drill, there is a lot of resistance when running the drill, but there is no oil getting to the lifters.

The next time I work on this truck, I'll be using an engine hoist so that I can take this piece of s FE to the metal scrap yard. I'll cut out the firewall, install an LS1 16" set back so that it's a mid engine truck. It's time to move on to the next step. I was going to try and milk this engine for a couple years but it just won't let me. I'm sick of working on this piece of crap.

Thanks for letting me vent LOL

 

Some folks spend Memorial day picnicking. But you... ouch! yeow! Biff, bam, sock! Smack! punch! Man you are getting killed out there.

puttster
"When you are going through hell keep going." Winston Churchhill

 

ya, that kinda put me over the edge, my wife and kids went to my father-in-laws house for bbq. I stayed home to work on the fix or repair daily. If I had actually got somewhere it maybe would've been worth it. But I missed my family and wasted a couple hundred bucks trying to fix this piece of s FE all for nothing.

It's probably the oil pump, I guess. Like I said, I'm thru working on this thing. Even if I got it working again I'm only getting 7-10mpg on a good day. All the money I've spent keeping it going and on gas could buy a new engine that makes power and gets mileage. I was trying to milk it so that I could drive the truck to cruising grand on friday nights, but I'm done

 

Gee, you give up so easily.

 

LOL. I guess I shouldnt post when I'm mad. I'm looking for another truck with an Fe. If I can get one cheap enough I'll keep the engine and part the rest.

 

Sounds to me like you need to step back, slow down, take a breath and start over with the one you have, take it apart and diagnose exactly what's going on there. I've done the same thing when I get in a hurry doing something, you're in such a rush to get it done that you miss the obvious.

 

Here's some ideas for the oil pump shaft
332-428 Ford FE Engine Forum: Anyone ever have to drop a dist. rod through the top?
puttster