I just bought a 79 bronco with a 460 and it has not been started in about 4 years. i cleaned the plugs put a carb kit in and tried to start it and it keeps on backfiring flames out of the carb. i did not have the fuel pump hooked up because i had the tank off cleaning it. Could it be out of time. i tried to rotate the distributor but i guess it was froze up, i had the bolt loosened quite a bit. any imput would help. i am not good with gas motors, all i have been around and worked on are diesels.

 

myst,
4 years is way to long for an engine to be sitting around. Your camshaft lobes may have been worn down from start up because of the "dry" condition. Anything like this you should prelube the camshaft. The worn down camshaft will cause a backfire out of the carb. Hope this will help find the problem.

Warr

 

myst,
A few things to check also; firing order and if can get the distributer to turn, check the timing. Good luck.

Warr

 

Change the oil and filter.
If you can pull the distributor an get an oil pump priming tool and spin the oil pump with a low speed drill til you have oil pressure (make sure your drill is turning the same direction as the distributor does.
Pull the spark plugs and give each cylinder couple squirts of motor oil (helps the rings seal, lubricates them, and increases compression.)
Starting fluid will help a lot so will fresh gas.
My 79 f350 460 is tired and it takes alot to get it goin. It's been sittin for 18 months but oil and starting fluid always gets it goin. I do have a rebuilt waiting 460 in the garage wating for time to assemble and install. So many projects so little time.
Good luck keep us posted.
Love those 70's ford trucks.

 

Thanks, i will pull the plugs and put some oil in them today, but what can i do to get the distrbutor unfroze, i would hate to put tom much pressure on it and break it.

 

Try soaking the distributor with liquid wrench or something.
Automatic trans fluid might loosen it up.
Clean around the base of distributor as much as you can.

 

I got the distributor loose and moving but i still have flames backfiring out of the carb. and engine will try to start but won't, i removed the distributor cap and turned the engine over and there is no fire when the points are going around, what could that be?? once again i am not good with gas engine so anything will help me right now. thanks

 

If you had the cap off there will not be any fire. The fire comes from the coil wire on the cap. If it is backfiring out the carb, I would say a timing issue.

 

If the timing is off that could be the backfire.
Try to get some kind of repair manual for fords.
You posted that you would pull the spark plugs and oil them.
I meant for you to put a couple squirts in the cylinder through the spark plug hole, this will give you more compression.
The firing order is cast in the intake manifold it will be a series of 8 numbers starting with 1 . The firing order is 1 5 4 2 6 3 7 8 distributor rotation is counter clockwise. Cylinders are numbered starting left front of engine, left side 1234 right side 5678.
To set the timing find the crankshaft damper (lower belt pulley is attatched to it) in front of the timing cover. Find the timing mark numbers on the crankshaft damper clean the damper so you can mark TDC (top dead center),put a chaulk mark on TDC, it may also be marked 0 degrees.
On the timing cover find the pointer for setting the timing it points toward the front of the engine towards the lower crankshaft pulleys.With the spark plugs out, plug the #1 cylinder spark plug hole ( I use a rubber vacuum cap that fits the hole, it will pop out on the compression stroke) crank the engine til #1 cylinder is on the compression stroke. Stop cranking engine as soon as you know you are on compression stroke. With a wrench line up crankshaft damper Top Dead Center with timing pointer. Distributor should be pointing a #1 spark plug wire. If its not reset to point at #1 your timing is close enough to start. If it points to #6 plug wire either distributor is 180 degrees off or #1 cylinder is on exhaust stroke. Double check before changing timing.
If you have fresh gas this should help get your 460 started.
this method always works for me I've started things that hadn't run in more than 5 years.
I think it would be a safe guess that if the truck ran when parked this would get it going. Oh yeah if its a 4 speed just tow it to get it going.
good luck
If that truck has stock distributor FOR 1979 there are no points should be DURASPARK ELECTRONIC IGNITION..

 

Ok i will try that this weekend or maybe tommorow, i only have a couple of hours on the week days to work on it. that helps alot, i will post later to see if it worked. thanks

 

well if you had no ignition fire it would not be back fireing thru the carb, i would say it out of time or the plug wires are crossed. DW

 

The people that had it before may of messed with the plug wires. where could i find a diagram that shows the plug wires??

 

Get a manual . I think you,re gonna need it.
Try the library if you don't want to buy one.
I have an old one I'll send you if you pay the postage. Once it runs do a compression check.
good luck

 

well got tired of messing with it and took it to a friend that is a mechanic where i live and he looked at it all afternoon and tried to get it started, he figured out that i will need a new timing chain,he said some intake and exhaust valves are stuck and maybe new rings. probally cost more than i want to spend.