I recently inherited a 1980 F100 w/ 302 and 3 spd manual. It has been sitting for 3 -4 years. I have already replace coil, carb, and fuel pump. I am having trouble getting fuel to the carb. I have taken out the new fuel pump and re installed it once already. At on point I got the engine to turn over with starter fluid, but I cannot get it to do that agin. I have also removed th fuel line to check for a blockage, but it is clean. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

just pulled out fuel pick up and it is a mess, cleaned it a little and replaced now fuel is getting up there but cannot get her to start

 

Take the aircleaner off, and while looking down the carb throat, push the throttle linkage back with your hand. You should see two strong streams of fuel pour down the engine.

If you have that, then take a sparkplug wire off, and stick a screwdriver up in the end of the wire. Hold the screwdriver by the plastic handle, and put the metal part of the screwdriver very close to the engine block while someone cranks the engine. You should get a strong spark jump from the screwdriver.

 

You need five things to get started: Air, seldom a problem with the filter off. Fuel, and it seems you have that now. Spark, of course. And proper timing of both the cam and the ignition. And you need compression.

With all the cranking you have been doing you might pull the plugs and look at them.
You can check for spark the way Franklin2 suggests, or you can just pull the wire from the coil to loosen it then set it back in place. Then have someone crank it for you and hold the wire half an inch from the coil. If there is spark you will hear it jump the gap. If there is no spark, be aware that the ignition module on the side of the distributor on these Fords is famous for failing.

So once you can see fuel being delivered into the carb, start with the plugs and go from there.

 

you could of sucked up some rust and crud from the fuel tanks and plugged up the filter.

also, how old is the gas in the tanks?


personally I would run a rubber line to a gas can, then get it running.

 

There was a little gas in there from 3 - 4 yrs ago, but I hjave put about5 gallons of new gas in. I did pull the plugs and they were moist and smelt like the starter fluid I was using. Everytime I try to tstart the truck I have to use jumper cables. The battery dies so fast. the other week I was doing something with the negative a cable and ran my wrench across the starter solenoid. Could that have shorted it out and cause the battery to drain faster?

 

If you are having a battery problem that could be a clue. Sometimes you can have enough juice to crank the engine but the voltage drops too low to fire the ignition properly.

Try this test. Charge the battery. Take it off the charger. Put a voltmeter across the battery posts and read the voltage while you have someone crank the engine. If the voltage drops to ten volts or below, replace the battery.

If you have any doubt about the sparkplugs, put in a fresh set. When you buy them look up the number from the manufacturers chart because there is a chance that the old plugs are not the correct ones.

Let us know what happens.

 

just replaced the spark plugs and had the battry charged at auto zone. Tryed to crank it four times then the battry was dead again. I bought the battry about a month ago and I don't know why it is acting this way. Someone told me if I shorted out my starter relay, then it would put a continuous drain on the battry. I was also wrong about the fuel reaching the carb. The only way I can get any fuel past the fuel pump is if I disconnect the fuel line athe the filter input and suck out the fuel. Any ideas what's going on with this thing?

 

So your battery is new. Remember, new means new, it doesn't mean good.

Also you said before that you cleaned up the fuel pickup and you were getting fuel, at least for a while. Maybe your tank is mucked up so that it has blocked the pickup again. Check it out, and if that is the case you may have to drop the tank and have it cleaned out at a radiator shop.

 

When I thought I was getting fuel before, it was because I could suck it up through the fuel line after the pump which is still the case. I just assumed ot would flow to the carb before. Today I pulled the line before the filter and tried to crank and see if fuel came out, which it did not. Any ideas on this?

 

If you take the fuel line off at the carb, direct the flow into a container, crank the engine and see if you get fuel that far using the pump you will know which way to go from there.

I assume that you have changed the filter too. Any of the fuel line appear very rusty anywhere? Check the fuel pickup again to see if it is still clear. Either something is plugged up, the pump isn't working or it is sucking in air from somewhere.

 

Could I have messed up the installation of the new fuel pump? Does it mean anything if fuel is not being deliveredto the filter, but it can be sucked up?

I did the spark test and got no spark. I am going to replace the control module soon.

 

Do what someone else said, and pull the line off the carb, and point it in a bucket. Crank the engine and see if fuel squirts out. If it does, then I bet your float needle valve in the carb is stuck with varnish, not letting fuel in the carb, or up the fuel line either.

 

Hi Degdawgs! Greetings from Brisbane, Australia.

I have had the same problem on a couple of occasions in the past.

If you are going to keep the vehicle then it will pay you to do a good job to get it mobile.

There is no doubt that a lay up of 4+years will present problems with starting the engine and getting the vehicle mobile.

The tank will need to be claened out to get rid of all the additive residue that would have accumulated as a result of the fuel evaporating over time.

You have said the pick up was blocked, that is an indication that there will be blockages in other places as well.

Give the lines a good blow out, do not muck around, replace the in line filter.

Take the carb off, pull it apart and clean it thoroughly. The idle and main jets will more than likely be blocked with a varnish like substance.

If you have fuel coming through the accelerator jets then there was fluid in the float bowl, but that is a direct feed via the accelerator pump. The donk may kick over on that amount but will not keep going if the idle and mains are blocked.

There may also be a small copper or brass mesh filter in the bottom of the float bowl, make sure it is clear. Some carbs had a particle filter on the fuel line where the line enters the carb at the neddle and jet. If it has one of them then toss it.

Replace the gaskets, washers and carb top paper filter.

It it has points, replace them as well as the condenser. If it is electronic, take the dizzy out and send it to a shop for checking and recallibrating.

Does it have a negative ballast in the wiring, check that out to it may be faulty.

New plugs are a must but be careful if she starts as you may get a lot of smoke due to the rings being gunked in the pistons creating oil blowby.

Check the brakes out as the wheel cylinders may be dry or seized after all that time, the MC too.

If it is a manual make sure the clutch is not stuck.

Have you checked out all the oils and radiator water.

Finally, if the battery has a problem turning the donk over to start, then why not tow it?

Have fun, good luck.

Les Bryant, Brisbane , Australia

 

Alright, I replaced Ignition Module and am getting spark. I can start the truck when I put fuel dirctly into the carb. I am still having a delivery problem and I cannot tell why. My fuel lines a clear from debris and I can still suck the fuel from the fuel pump. Where is the FUEL???