Engine won't start

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Feb 22, 2014 | 03:16 PM

obscurity

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From: Atlanta

Engine won't start

So today is a nice day (the first one in a little while) so I decided to take the truck out for a spin and it won't start. It ran two months ago with no protest (longest drive ever). Its pumping gas. Its getting spark. With starter fluid it will fire but not start. I rebuilt the carburetor(holley) 6 months ago and it has run with no issues since then until today. What is the problem now?

Any thoughts are appreciated
John

Feb 22, 2014 | 04:35 PM

Rimrock F1

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From: Rimrock AZ

If it does not start on starter fluid the only things I can think of is. It is flooded, hold throttle wide open and crank to clear. It has weak or no spark on multiple cylinders or is timed off ( unlikely if you have not changed anything since last run). Has low or no compression ( also unlikely since it ran fine before). So if it were mine I would try clearing a flooded condition first, happened to our 52 today. If that didn't work I would check for strong spark on all cylinders.

Feb 22, 2014 | 05:09 PM

bobj49f2

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From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)

Sounds like my F-2 last year. It ran fine most of the summer but I got busy at work and didn't drive it for over a month. When I tried.to get it to start it just spun over. It would try to kick but just couldn't. I.checked.everything I could think of. A couple of fellow FTErs stopped over and we checked compression. Low in all cylinders. We pulled started it, started within 25 feet and ran great the rest of the year. The rings must have contracted but once they warmed up they expanded.

Feb 22, 2014 | 05:14 PM

f5fordgirl

Fleet Mechanic

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You might try pulling the plugs and putting a little oil in each cyl to bring compression up.

Feb 22, 2014 | 05:54 PM

drptop70ss

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From: in a barn

Sounds like either the fuel is crap or the carb needle is stuck closed. The engine is not going to run on starter fluid unless you keep spraying it into the carb while it is running, are you doing that or just giving it a single spray? The fact that it fires with the starter fluid it sounds to me like you are missing fuel from the equation.

Feb 22, 2014 | 06:09 PM

Giesterfarher™

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From: Fresno, California

Try carefully filling the carb bowl with gas through the vent. Wipe up any spillage before you try cranking it over. If it starts and runs then, but runs out of gas, you most likely have either a stuck needle, or the fuel pump gave out, probably tore the diaphragm when you were cranking it over.

Feb 22, 2014 | 07:33 PM

carnut122

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From: Waleska, GA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giesterfarher™

That's my take on it too!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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Feb 23, 2014 | 02:55 PM

arctic y block

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From: Island Southeast Alaska

I am with Bobj on this one. Try to pull start her.

Feb 23, 2014 | 03:39 PM

#10

obscurity

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From: Atlanta

So it finally started but I still don't know why it was so hard. I got fed up and this morning decided to go to the local autozone to get some new plugs and plug wires and a new can of ether (mine was getting a little light.) Of course autozone had no plugs for the truck (I tried to get the champions but they were out of NGK and autolite as well) and had no plug wires. Apparently all they carry is air freshener and chrome do-dads for late model cars. So I took the starting fluid home and it started but reluctantly. This morning it was much easier to start.

I would live to find a guy/shop in Atlanta who could give me an assessment to the state of the engine and tune it up.

Thanks for all the pointers

Feb 23, 2014 | 03:47 PM

#11

oldmerc

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Joined: Jul 2011

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From: Edmonton,Alberta

Just for fun do a compression test and post the results

Feb 23, 2014 | 03:50 PM

#12

bobj49f2

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From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)

I would guess by loading it with starting fluid you might have gotten it warm enough for the rings to expand enough to bring the compression up to start. Also, the starting fluid probably produced a strong enough burst to spin the engine a little faster to over come the low compression. Although, I could be totally wrong.

Feb 23, 2014 | 04:20 PM

#13

Giesterfarher™

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From: Fresno, California

Sounds like it was flooded after all. Next time you start it, try cranking it without pumping the pedal or setting the choke and see what it does, then add choke a little at a time while cranking as needed.