OK.... What Happened?
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From: Washington State
OK.... What Happened?
My 1977 F-250 pickup has been running great for the last 460,000 miles. I can honestly and confidently say that I have never had to crank it more than twice to get it to start. It has always started right away. The other morning I went out and put an exhaust tip that I got for Christmas on the tail pipe and loaded all of my tools into the truck. I got in and turned the key. It tried to start only once. I cranked it untill the battery was dead. I checked for spark and gas and it has both. It still wouldn't start. I gave up on the truck and loaded all my tools into my Civic. That battery was dead too. (long story, bad day 
). Anyway, I came home later that day and tried starting it again. Nothing. So there it sits. How can things go wrong over night when it was not even being used? I have never had a problem like this with this truck. Any idea's of what could be wrong? The exhaust tip is not the problem. Is it? It's just a 10 inch piece of steel that attatches to the end of the exhaust pipe.
). Anyway, I came home later that day and tried starting it again. Nothing. So there it sits. How can things go wrong over night when it was not even being used? I have never had a problem like this with this truck. Any idea's of what could be wrong? The exhaust tip is not the problem. Is it? It's just a 10 inch piece of steel that attatches to the end of the exhaust pipe.
Last edited by Hi Ho; Dec 27, 2003 at 10:56 PM.
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I believe he meant take the cap off, turn the engine over to see if the timing chain was still there, or if it had stretched or broke...
I had that happen to me, truck ran fine one evening, next morning the chain had stretched and jumped a couple teeth...
I had that happen to me, truck ran fine one evening, next morning the chain had stretched and jumped a couple teeth...
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Re: OK.... What Happened?
Originally posted by Hi Ho
The other morning I went out and put an exhaust tip that I got for Christmas on the tail pipe...
The other morning I went out and put an exhaust tip that I got for Christmas on the tail pipe...
-jk
You have spark and fuel and most probably have air so it should go boom... Does the exhaust smell like it is trying to light off? Does it sound like it is firing occasionally? You might want to check that timing chain like has been suggested. I am supposing here that the engine has been rebuilt with that many miles on the truck. Which means the old plastic gears are gone but the metal ones still wear out.
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From: usa
When you shut the truck of the night before Did it happen to Diesel just a tad Or roll back just a tad? If it did it sure could have jumped timing. With that many miles if its still on the Factory Timing chain and gears thats the first place I would check. Easy way is Pull the number one plug, Turn it over untill ya get compression on that cylinder, Turn it on by hand to Top Dead center, then take the Cap off and see where the Rotor is pointing. It should be pretty close to the Number one Contact. If not its probly jumped time.
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From: Washington State
It doesn't seem to be firing at all. There is no exhaust. That I can smell. It also cranks evenly and normally. It has always run smooth and it never diesels. I believe the engine was rebuilt a long time ago.
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From: West Kentucky
The timing chain like Torque and the others are suggesting could be the problem and a good thing to look for, however their is one more simple item to check. Look to see if your butterfly on your carb for the choke is stuck closed. I've had these things on stock carbs and holleys stick for no apparent reason. If its stuck, your cutting off your air supply. Just stick a screwdriver or anything in it to open it up and it should fire right up. Great mileage out of the 460. Regardless, as a matter of preventive maitenace, replace the timing chain. Good luck and keep us posted.
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From: where the deer and antelo
I'll add my vote for timing chain. I had a truck with a 351m that the rear main seal was leaking in, and lost about a quart of oil every hundred miles or so. I stopped on the side of the freeway to check/add oil, and had to be towed home. The timing had jumped a tooth or two and would not start back up.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Corbett, Oregon
One other thought. I have had a number of 77 Ford products, trucks and cars, that had bad ignition modules. These were the original equipment Ford modules. In your first post you said you had spark and in a follow up post you said"it doesn't seem to be firing at all." It might be worth your time to replace the module with a new one, before you get all greasy. I can;t disagree with the timing chain discussion, and if the rig were something other than a 77 the timing chain would be my first thought. Good luck.
Roger Carter
Roger Carter
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From: Washington State
There is spark and gas so I don't see why it isn't firing. It may be but I don't think it is. I haven't had time to check the timing but I have already tried holding the butterfly for the choke open and it didn't do anything.