Do yourself a solid and charge up that battery before, during, and after - with a plug-in battery charger.

An engine that won't start will roast battery, cables, starter, and solenoid. The alternator in your dad's car will NOT charge it back up, unless you drive to Montana or something like that.

Crank your engine for no more than 5 or 10 seconds straight - let starter cool off for 5 or 10 minutes. Remember normally an engine starts in just a split second or two. That's all the starting system is designed to take. When you hear people start wailing on the starter for 55 seconds .... pause .... wail on the starter for another 30 seconds .... pause *click* wail for another 30 seconds ... that starter is DONE for, it might not fail today but it won't be long for this world. If you were to look at it, the paint would be smoking. Not trying to beat up on you, but I've seen this movie before.

 

I appreciate the advice man. Thank you and hopefully she can run.

 

I will try and hand cranking but don't know where it actually is. I tried moving the fan and it rotated pretty easy. I would like to double check with the crank shaft bolt but not sure where it is exactly. Is it in the same location as the fan? I found another bolt to the bottom left of the fan. Thanks in advance.

 

So I just finished replacing the engine oil and oil filter. Stuff smelled pretty bad. I also checked the sparkplugs to see how they were and they came back like this.
I'm not sur what this means. Based on what the pictures that the manual provides, it is closest to the spark plug that shows oil deposits. For the most part, all 6 looked pretty close to this. I did look into the base of the sparkplug hole, ( combustion chamber? ) , and saw the same residue. Given that they truck has been sitting for years, and I imagine the one examples shown in the manual are based on running cars, how much of a problem is this ? Like one of you recommended, I also primed them and will wait the end of the week to try and start it, unless I get an earlier chance.

 

That doesn't look bad. It's not fouled out.

 

That's great, now if only I had not broken one trying to get it loose.

Now another thing is the carburator. I'm pretty sure it might need a rebuild, but do I need one before the initial start up? How much does a carburator rebuild usually cost ? Or is this a task that can be tackled by an average joe like myself ?

 

Ok crank bolt: You said you turned the fan and it moved. Did all the fan belts and pulleys turn also? The crank pulley is the bottom most pulley and is large. In the center there should be a large bolt and thatis what you put a socket on to turn the motor over by hand.
Now if you can move all the belts & pulleys, the bottom pulley 1 full turn, then the motor is free and not rusted solid and safe to move onto get it running.

Plug: As said it does not look too bad, looks like it was running rich but should be able to start & run with them. If you have to replace the broken one I would replace them all.

Carb: I would try and start / run with it the way it is and see what happens. Just keep an eye on it for leaks (fire starter) or flooding over into the motor that could lead to other things.
edit: I saw a post and looked at the carb as it is not stock to the truck. If there are issues might be best to get a new / rebuilt one from the parts store.

The carb should have a number either stamped on the side or a tag under a screw, Again being the carb is not for your truck rebuilding it may not be the best way to go.
Take that number to the parts store and look it up so they can order the kit for you.
If you want to rebuild it, it is not that hard. The kit is not a lot of money and may want to pick one up to have on hand.

IIRC you have a fuel pump on the side of the motor. Do not try and start / run the motor on the old fuel in the tank. Get fuel hose and a small can with gas in it and hook the hose to the pump and into the small can of fuel to start / run from.

Good luck
Dave ----

 

I still do not see what year this truck is?
Why I ask is if you are going to get a new carb for the truck, either before trying to start or after because it has issues, get one for a 300 six in a 80-82 it must be a non-feed back system carb.
The carb in your picture is not either from what I can see.

Can you get a close up picture of the distributor? Need to see if it is for a feed back system or not.
Dave ----

 

There is a 15/16" bolt in the center of the balancer/pulley that threads into the crankshaft.

 

Got it, will due with the crank shaft bolt.

You are right, I will try and get the stock carburetor model number some how. Should be easy enough

I just picked up a hand pump to remove the old gas in the truck. Will drain the gas and check the coolant levels tomorrow.

 

it is an 80's truck.

will do first thing tomorrow morning. Thanks for the help

 

got it, thanks

 

A good plan that a lot of folks use is rig up a 2.5 gal boat tank & hose or something like that and just gravity feed fuel direct to the carburetor bypassing fuel pump and hoses, lines and stale varnished fuel and sediment in the tank.

Pull a fuel sample from the tank and take a look at it, take a whiff. If it smells like paint or varnish it's real bad. Don't try to run it or dilute it with fresh fuel.

 

LOL we know it is an 80's truck 80 to 86 LOL
I take it you meant to say it's an 1980 truck?
If so then you should be able to tell the parts person you want a carb for a Ford, F1?? with a 300 six (4.9L) with auto?
Dave ----