302 engine issues.
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 664
Likes: 2
From: York Pa.
Hm. Well a defective power valve would cause a severe over-rich condition. If all the plugs are fouled, not just a single plug, it kind of points to that - or maybe other flooding issues anyway. In extreme case the excess unburned fuel will tend to cause oil dilution or even wash out piston rings.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Well it should be remedied sooner than later. Post a pic of a plug or two? Don't stress, you'll get it fixed up I'm sure. Just keep at it. Engines are tough and will put up with lots of abuse. Ask me how I know ha ha
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 111
Likes: 4
BeauF0RD, there isn't much mention about the history of the truck or the engine. I have two thoughts:
1. Seems I remember reading that one could put a 351W cam in a 302 engine... you just have to account for the different firing order. You could verify that you have the correct firing order by popping the valve covers and rotating the engine to follow the firing sequence. I know this is a wild idea, but popping through the carb always seems to be backwards plugs or timing related instead of carb (at least in my experience)
2. Did you take pics before taking it apart the first time? If so you may be able to refer to those and ensure you've hooked everything back up the same way you took it apart.
Otherwise, I think the advice from Tedster9 is spot on. Good luck, I'm interested to see what the solution is.
1. Seems I remember reading that one could put a 351W cam in a 302 engine... you just have to account for the different firing order. You could verify that you have the correct firing order by popping the valve covers and rotating the engine to follow the firing sequence. I know this is a wild idea, but popping through the carb always seems to be backwards plugs or timing related instead of carb (at least in my experience)
2. Did you take pics before taking it apart the first time? If so you may be able to refer to those and ensure you've hooked everything back up the same way you took it apart.
Otherwise, I think the advice from Tedster9 is spot on. Good luck, I'm interested to see what the solution is.
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 664
Likes: 2
From: York Pa.
BeauF0RD, there isn't much mention about the history of the truck or the engine. I have two thoughts:
1. Seems I remember reading that one could put a 351W cam in a 302 engine... you just have to account for the different firing order. You could verify that you have the correct firing order by popping the valve covers and rotating the engine to follow the firing sequence. I know this is a wild idea, but popping through the carb always seems to be backwards plugs or timing related instead of carb (at least in my experience)
2. Did you take pics before taking it apart the first time? If so you may be able to refer to those and ensure you've hooked everything back up the same way you took it apart.
Otherwise, I think the advice from Tedster9 is spot on. Good luck, I'm interested to see what the solution is.
1. Seems I remember reading that one could put a 351W cam in a 302 engine... you just have to account for the different firing order. You could verify that you have the correct firing order by popping the valve covers and rotating the engine to follow the firing sequence. I know this is a wild idea, but popping through the carb always seems to be backwards plugs or timing related instead of carb (at least in my experience)
2. Did you take pics before taking it apart the first time? If so you may be able to refer to those and ensure you've hooked everything back up the same way you took it apart.
Otherwise, I think the advice from Tedster9 is spot on. Good luck, I'm interested to see what the solution is.
Here is the engine when I first bought the truck.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 143
Likes: 2
Tedster9 thanks again for your time and effort in helping me out along with everybody else that contributed, I am so thankful. First thing I should point out is this carburetor that my neighbor gave me is from 1987 so it is old but rebuilt. I also wanted to say that at this point I do believe the timing is set correctly and not 180 out. As to the valves, yes #1 is low at 120 and #2 has a rattle tap, we have shimmed it twice, this is a issue we have been working with.
The #1 plug is black but I believe if I pulled the other 7 they would be black also because the truck is running rich and even throwing black smoke out the exhaust. I will be replying to your next post momentarily.
The #1 plug is black but I believe if I pulled the other 7 they would be black also because the truck is running rich and even throwing black smoke out the exhaust. I will be replying to your next post momentarily.I always giggle at the "one tooth off" comment regarding a distributor install......there's no such thing.
You are correct regarding not being 180* off....it won't start at all if that were the case.
One thing that has piqued my interest is you mentioning you "shimmed" the valves.
I'm assuming you're referring to the pedestal mount rockers??
Adjusting pedestal mount rockers is actually a step that needs to be done correctly contrary to popular belief.
Bolt torque on the rocker must be achieved between a 1/4 and 1 turn with the pushrod slightly preloaded and off the cam lobe.
Over 1 turn needs shims...
Under 1/4 turn needs longer pushrod.
Google "adjusting ford pedestal mount rockers" and you'll find a pdf and other videos.
I'm wondering if you have too much or too little preload on your lifters.
Otherwise im leaning to a bad carb tune/rebuild.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 664
Likes: 2
From: York Pa.
I always giggle at the "one tooth off" comment regarding a distributor install......there's no such thing.
You are correct regarding not being 180* off....it won't start at all if that were the case.
One thing that has piqued my interest is you mentioning you "shimmed" the valves.
I'm assuming you're referring to the pedestal mount rockers??
Adjusting pedestal mount rockers is actually a step that needs to be done correctly contrary to popular belief.
Bolt torque on the rocker must be achieved between a 1/4 and 1 turn with the pushrod slightly preloaded and off the cam lobe.
Over 1 turn needs shims...
Under 1/4 turn needs longer pushrod.
Google "adjusting ford pedestal mount rockers" and you'll find a pdf and other videos.
I'm wondering if you have too much or too little preload on your lifters.
Otherwise im leaning to a bad carb tune/rebuild.
You are correct regarding not being 180* off....it won't start at all if that were the case.
One thing that has piqued my interest is you mentioning you "shimmed" the valves.
I'm assuming you're referring to the pedestal mount rockers??
Adjusting pedestal mount rockers is actually a step that needs to be done correctly contrary to popular belief.
Bolt torque on the rocker must be achieved between a 1/4 and 1 turn with the pushrod slightly preloaded and off the cam lobe.
Over 1 turn needs shims...
Under 1/4 turn needs longer pushrod.
Google "adjusting ford pedestal mount rockers" and you'll find a pdf and other videos.
I'm wondering if you have too much or too little preload on your lifters.
Otherwise im leaning to a bad carb tune/rebuild.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 143
Likes: 2
caly350, thanks for your input on my issues. We put the shim, now two shims under the lash cap on the #2 valve because it was loose and rattled no matter how much we tightend the nut. All the other rockers were tight. My neighbor said there is no torque limit on tightening the rockers, so he cranked them all down with all his strength. I will google adjusting ford pedestal rockers right now. Thanks.
From memory, torque is 20#.
Like I'd mentioned:
Make sure you’re at TDC on the hole you're adjusting...(off the cam lobes)
You want to be more than a 1/4 turn and less than a full turn to hit that 20#.
Good luck.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
You are correct regarding not being 180* off....it won't start at all if that were the case.
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 664
Likes: 2
From: York Pa.
My neighbor came today and I got to try out my new OTC vacuum gauge. We hooked it up to the manifold vacuum port and started the engine. The gauge immediately went up to 18 and held steady. when the engine got up to operating temperature we tried to adjust the idle mixture screws to get a higher vacuum reading but ended up with a high reading of 18 with a slow drifting fluctuation between 18 and 17. With the thoughts this was about as good of a reading that we were going to get we tried slowly increasing throttle and the vacuum gauge also slowly raised. We than blipped the throttle and the vacuum gauge raised than dropped to or near zero. But we also got a backfire when we tried to blip the throttle a second time. We also turned the idle mixture screws all the way in and the engine died telling us the power valve is functioning, that's good. I wanted to know what size power valve I had so we decided to just pull the carb. and take it back apart, it's laying on my work bench right now. I have a 6.5 power valve, the jets read 64, the squirter reads 31, and I have a orange accelerator pump cam.
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 664
Likes: 2
From: York Pa.
Things we discovered when we took the carburetor apart. The power valve had two gaskets instead of only one. The squirter was missing the check valve. And the accelerator pump cam is orange, worn, and was hooked up to the second screw hole position on the carburetor. Any advice on the sizes of jets, power valve, accelerator pump cam?