have a 1972 ford motorhome with a 302 engine. wouldn't start, after parking. turns over but no start. have replaced distributor cap, points, condensor, rotor, fixed timing chain, coil, selenoid,and replaced carb. gasket. still wont start. we were told that the distributor could have been out 180. alternated rotor from 1 tdc to 5 tdc. to correct problem, still will not start-just whines. no spark to spark plugs, but getting juice to points. help!!!!!!!!!!! spark plugs are wet also. could this have anything to do with the cam??? or piston bearings??????? compression seems to be okay,but not sure. HELP PLEASE ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Slaw,
If you've got no spark, then you know your problem. Are your points set correctly? Is your coil firing to the distributor? Start there. Is the coil making a spark?
Kingfisher

 

is the rotor turning?
cam, problely not.
piston bearings, no such thing.
piston rings , problely not that either.
find TDC on on the compression stroke on the #1 cylinder. then see where the rotor is pointing (it should be at the # 1, if it isn't turn the distributor till it does them try it.

 

thank you all for the replies, but still no luck, we have tried all that and still no spark to the plugs. everything in the top of the distributor is working, nothing going down the distributor to the plugs. going to try a new distributor today will let you know if this works. thanks again will let you know.bonnie

 

Slaw,
A new distributor is not going to make a difference.
If the coil is firing, then the distributor is working. You have a rotor or cap problem.
KingFisher

 

thanks for your quick reply, before i buy the distributor. but i have a new cap and rotor i've tried with the same results. i have put all new parts on the top electrical end. this is a tough one. can you think of anything else? should i try replacing the plugs and wires?
what about the vacuum advance unit? bonnie

 

OK, lets say that you have pulled the distributer cap and looked at the rotor while turning the engine over. The rotor does turn, right? If not, we need to take a different path. If you have not yet done that test, do it next. If you have and the rotor is turning when the engine turns over, with the cap off, "bump" the engine over until the points are closed, pull the coil wire out of the dist. cap and , using a small screw driver inserted into end of the wire and held near an engine ground point (1/8 " or so), manually open and close the points using another screwdriver or similar tool. If you do not get a good spark, 1. The points may not be properly adjusted and are not opening and closing when the engine turns over. 2. The points are no good (even if new). They may have oil or other contaminent on them. 3. The condenser may be bad or not properly connected. You should still have a spark unless it is shorted. 4. The wires are not properly connected to the points/condenser or there is a short in the wiring in the distributor. 5. The coil is bad. 6. The coil is not properly connected. I am sure that I probably left out some possibilities, but the point is: If you do not get a spark from the coil, it is not going to crank NO MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU DO, so verify a good spark from the coil first. Repost your findings and let us go from there. Good Luck with it and try to be patient. Patience is the best tool that you have.

 

Have you actually laid the coil wire (dist. end) next to a ground and observed spark?

 

Beartracks is right. So you have power to the coil?

 

thank you all for all the help. finally after 2 weeks of searching, replacing everything possible, and ready to replace cam and lifters we pulled timing chain again, and found the timing marks way off again. well we prayed, reset the timing marks, put him back together, and he fired up like the champ that he is. thank you again. i love my ford trucks. i have 3 ford trucks, and they are the best. thanks again.

 

This problem was solved, but I was going to mention 1 other scenario. On my '69 F250, I replaced the 390 (rod bearings gone due to faulty oil filter that fell off. No ballooning at all, so it wasn't a stuck pressure regulator) Anyways, the previous owner of the 400 Cleveland (yes, the very rare motor with smallblock bellhousing. I had a heck of a time then finding a C6 off a 302 to put behind it!) I put in did the timing chain, but didn't clean the plastic bits out of the oil pan.
I got silly one day and decided to race my truck against a Vette, and I was taking him till the oil pump seized up and stopped the dist from turning by shearing the roll pin! All I heard was a clacking noise when I cranked it.
I took the oil pump apart, and put in a new pin (after cleaning out the oil pan ) and it ran even better afterwards!