Alright so I've got all my ducks in a row at this post in regards to the cooling system so I guess I will start by explaining things from the beginning.

I started out having a massive coolant leak that I could not understand, I put RTV on stuff I threaded bolts into holes that i though maybe were drilled out and could now leak coolant and fought with it for two days until i realized something...........I had the wrong !@@!&^% timming cover on this truck. I have one for a V belt setup with the standerd rotation pump. So I dug around found said style pump in question put it on and routed my belt to the alt and water pump only so I could get things in running order and break the engine in.

Then my next problem and was my own screw up was the thermostat housing. I apperntly at one point ground things down just a hair to make the surface flat but i did it on a belt sander and it kicked leaving a small angle at the bottle of it that leaked and leaked and leaked for me. So I removed it found one from a mustange in dads shop and used that for the moment, then I had to once again pull the upper hose because the 20ish year old clamps had stripped out and could not hold anything.

Now why I am confused you might be asking? We got the engine timed up, the carb fueled up with gas and holding about 5 PSI even with the EFI pumps but even so we cannot get this engine to crank fast enough to light off. i get all of two seconds of good cranking and its like it sucked the battery dry. i tried two different batteries that both work flawless in other vehicles and even connected the two to the truck with a pair of jumper cables. But we just can't get it to start. It rolls over by hand fine though and the engine itself is healthy. Does this sound somewhat like a grounding issue? Connections? The starter itself? Or is 30 degree weather just to cold for something like this?

Thanks in Advance "timing pun"

Shadow.

 

I can't tell what heads you're running, maybe you said it earlier, but a factory starter wouldn't turn my setup and would kill batteries no problem if I tried.

Stock heads, stock compression?

Check grounds for sure, if the block ground is not in tact the small grounds elsewhere will burn up while cranking.

 

Gt40 heads with stock compression. I'm gonna clean up everything ground wise and positive wise tonight before it gets to cold and make another attempt. If that doesn't work we are gonna warm it up in the neighbors garage. If that don't work a more powerful starter and welding cables are going in place of what we have now.

 

You're attempting to use the EFI fuel system to supply the carb?

Are you sure its not fuel washing the cylinders? that would fit with what you decribe and what had already been brought up by rbohm.

The best regulator out there would have trouble knocking 30-40 psi down to 5 psi.

If effectively dead heading the pump with the use of a regulator, that could push the pressures to double that or more. Making a less than ideal condition even worse.

Fuel soaked spark plugs? fuel in the oil?

 

Pulled the plugs, dry as a bone, I do not have a picture of my setup but what it is is, The main feed line with a T fitting that runs one end to the regulator and the other to the return line, the pressure regs output then runs to the carb itself where I have a fuel pressure gauge on it to confirm no over pressure. that alone allows me to safely regulator to about 5 PSI on the carb no trouble. I pulled all but two plugs and tried to crank it. starter wouldn't turn worth and toot and it still turns over by hand fine thus far. I can spin it with a small ratchet and socket all day.

 

Ok great wasn't sure you had a return line, I read over your posts a couple times and just didn't see where you made the final decision how you where going to go about it that part. That gauge would let you know if there was a problem.

Check connections but yea if can spin it easy with 3/8 ratchet and socket sounds like a weak and very near dead starter.

 

Kinda what I was beginning to think to however I wanted to be sure. Just because I had used two different batteries doesn't always means it was a good test. For tyhe record I did use a battery charger on both before using them and the one came out of a daily driver with a 302. Its dark and cold now so I'm most likely gonna try and pull it out at a later date and see if autozone can test and confirm dead or good. If dead, a new one will be installed. Another part I should of bought from the get go. My own fault there.

 

Did you ever consider replacment with a late model PMGR starter?
(especially with headers)

 

Now I will note that this was the only way I could do the belt setup on my truck due to the normal rotation pump. I planned on bypassing the PS at one point anyways so it really doesn't matter to me.

And there is my fuel lines as I said. nothing to it and I plan on removing the little valve in the future since it was unnecessary for this application surprisingly.

 

That is a excellent idea. Would be better in the long run to. I will look into one post haste!

 

I put a '96 model starter in my truck when I did my ZF swap.

It seems to spin the engine faster.

Certainly the smaller starter won't get as much heat from the headers.

 

The pmgr's definitely have more oomph, and use less juice too. Easy upgrade since they were factory equipped.

 

Put one on order last night on amazon. Should be here no later than next Tuesday.

 

Check your grounds in the meantime, if you haven't already. Even if they're in tact, it's a good idea to check resistance from one end to the other, as they can corrode inside after 20+ years of use and elements

 

I actually put a fresh ground on that I've had for about 6 months now just to confirm that it wasn't that. I ended up pulling the starter last night and tried to see if it would spin outside of the truck. it clicked like it should but it would not even turn at this point. I do plan on cleaning other connections up soon.

A buddy of my dads may have a used starter I can use to at least get it broke in while I wait for my Mustang starter to show up.