Hello- I am new here. I have a 1983 Ford F 100 Inline 6 300 full-size basic truck which I have had for over two years now and really have fallen in love with. It was in tough condition but so far I have had a new exhaust manifold, brake booster, rebuilt one barrel carberator(American Carberators). One problem has been there since the get go-- the spring on the ignition switch is bad so you have to turn it back towards you after cranking to get your heater fan, some gauges, etc to work. A few times in the past, before the carburator redo, etc., it would die at a stop sign. After that, very rare. Then about the time it got cold the engine would just die and it was dangerous at times. The backfire recently happened when the engine died while running and then maybe I started it back or maybe it just restarted while running but it blew a hole in the muffler. I drove it that day anyway and it died so many times I parked it. I think we are going to try to replace the ignition today--but we are going to hotwire it first and run it to see if the dying goes away. This sounded like a good idea, and if it does run without dying or backfiring it is proof that the next step is the new ignition. Any comments would be helpful.

 

Of course there is a new fuel filter, wires, plugs, air filters etc.....I have been running midrange gas when prices are low and unleaded regurlar otherwise. Got to get that gas gauge fixed. I carry extra gas now---

 

The problem is the mechanical linkages connecting the key tumbler to the actual switch (located on top of the column behind the gauges) get gummed up & stiff, I would pay attention to that first off when it gets warm outside... I think there's stuff in the sticky/subforums on this.

 

Welcome to the forum, Bobby Holmes!

 

Man, I am having trouble getting back on here, anyway, thank you again. I had more going dead and backfire problems yesterday. I started her up and took a buddy home and drove back, maybe altogether 10 miles without problems. Later I drove maybe a couple of miles went in a store, came out and it went dead three times, so went to next store a few miles, and decided to just crank and see what happens and it would just die, once caught itself and kept running, so I go to a gas station and add about 10 gallons of midrange, coming down street soon had a loud back fire. I should say this, that this rebuilt carburetor came in with a too small fork on the throttle control if that is correct and was for the longest time kind of jamming up and since I haven't put the part from the old carb back on, we added a washer and put a little piece of hose on one of the fingers and that has worked and stopped the reved up jam, in the past you had to tap the gas to idle down ---the fix has been on for about 3 weeks. I doubt that is causing the problem. The truck had a damaged exhaust manifold for several years before I got it, so I guess the vacuum is really different from the way it was for years. But not sure what to do next, I rely on my buddy for this and he is stumped. We don't see any loose wires. I keep saying replace the coil, the fuel pump, etc. but he is an old hand and thinks Nada to all of that. Any suggestions for a place to look, we are thinking since the gas gauge is so iffy, that I run low that it has something to do with trash in the pickup or something. Could a bent valve cause it....grabbing for a clue right now.

 

It is possible with a defective ignition switch for the engine to suddenly die.

 

We replaced it two days ago, the one at the base of the steering column, it was original equipment, looked fine but must have been worn, it did make the engine sound better some how, and now the key holder pops back after you turn it and I don't have to adjust that to get the guages, heater etc to come on. I should say that the valve cover gasket is bad and the plugs are getting oil on them....friend says he set timing by ear and trusts it better than a light, says he could hear a bad valve, and thinks that the current is good. When it died I haven't really noticed that......gotta confirm that. I'm still thinking old manual fuel pump might have a problem, he thinks maybe the timing gear might have a prob. Too cold today to mess with it though.