HELP...Bad Truck, Bad

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Apr 23, 2002 | 09:27 PM

workjunkie

Thread Starter

New User

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 1

Likes: 0

From: arcade u.s.

HELP...Bad Truck, Bad

Howdy,

I'm new to FTE but have found it very interesting so far.
Anyway, I have a 1988 F150 with the 300 straight 6 and the bugger will not start. I have replaced the fuel pump relay, the eec relay, the ignition switch, and by-passed the inertia switch. Have also removed some questionable fuse links and rewired some nasty looking wires. Still nothing. If I jump over on the power wire to the eec relay, I can get the fuel pumps to run, but she won't start. And no matter what I do, I can't get the ignition wire to pull in the contactor in the eec relay.
Would greatly appreciate any ideas anyone might be able to conjure up on the subject. Thanks, Workjunkie

Apr 24, 2002 | 04:09 AM

kmichaelb

Freshman User

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 27

Likes: 0

From: Oregon

HELP...Bad Truck, Bad

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 24-Apr-02 AT 05:13 AM (EST)]It might be a plugged catalytic converter. Unbolt the flange at the front of the converter and see if it will start. kmichaelb

Apr 24, 2002 | 05:45 AM

rabidranger

Laughing Gas

Joined: Nov 2001

Posts: 807

Likes: 1

From: -

HELP...Bad Truck, Bad

I take it the engine cranks? If so pull a spark plug and ground it out to see if you have spark, while you have a plug out, look at the insulator and see what condition it is in.

Apr 24, 2002 | 09:32 AM

DrFord

More Turbo

Joined: Jun 2001

Posts: 571

Likes: 1

HELP...Bad Truck, Bad

how long has it been since it last ran?. did one morning it just all of a sudden decide that id didn't want to start. didd you do any modifications before this happened.

check the distributer and make sure that it is tight. it might have come loose and twisted and therefore thrown your timing off. I know that you can't exactly check the timing if the engine won't start, but maybe that will lead you somewhere.

Apr 25, 2002 | 12:28 PM

winfordr

Posting Guru

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 1,124

Likes: 1

From: Rural Florida Panhandle

HELP...Bad Truck, Bad

Workjunkie:
Because you said "I can't get the ignition wire to pull in the contactor in the eec relay.", you can eliminate the other possibilities until you solve this one.
I would get some small jumper wires and force the relay to activate. You may have to connect both the source and ground connectors of the relay coil. It could have a bad ground. Leave it enabled, then try starting. Do you have a tachometer? If so you can tell if you are getting ignition by watching it while you crank the engine.

What you do next depends on what these results are.

Winford

Apr 28, 2002 | 01:15 PM

msj6819

New User

Joined: Feb 2002

Posts: 11

Likes: 0

From: Manhattan USA

HELP...Bad Truck, Bad

A friend of mine bought a 89 F150 with a 300 in it that had been wrecked a few years ago that wouldn't start so he got it for next to nothing. There was some sort of emergency switch, activated by a hard impact, that disabled the truck. The purpose was to prevent gas from running during a serious accident. His dad switched, replaced, I can't remember what he had to do, but the truck started right up. Sorry I'm really vague but it was probably six years ago, maybe this will point you in the right direction.