Hello, Im new here and I am new to the ford scene. I recently obtained a 97' f-150 for a really good price but the catch was that it needed new lash adjusters. i went ahead and put a new set of cams in it along with new lash adjusters and new headers. The problem is that when I go to start it up it seems like it is not fireing at all! I think it is a timing issue but I lined up all the markes when the motor was at tdc, the only thing I can think of is that I possibley got it 180 out.......is this even possible with this motor??? I had a buddy of mine take it to a garage and havnt heard anything yet as this all took place this morning. The guys at the garage thought it could be bent valves! I really hope its not that, and i dont think that is the case because I was so carefull not to rotate anything with the chains off and I used a specialty tool to take the rocker arms out the easy way. I turned the motor over by hand and nothing seemed to hit, it just seems like it wont fire at all. What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance
estition

P.S. as far as I know its a 4.6L liter winsor -remanufactured- but the heads say 5.4 on them so I didnt know what to think of that

 

Hi and welcome to FTE

How did you line up the timing chains? The gears on these don't have any marks that make much sense like on an older engine. There are special tools and procedures for lining them up.
Usually if the timing isn't right the engine will crank over really quickly like it has no compression.
Does it have good spark? Fuel pressure?

 

It does not turn over really fast, it sounds normal.........like it should just fire up. I can hear a hit every now and then, it slows the crank over just a tad for just a sec and then it keeps going. I am sure it has good spark cus I just drove this thing home 2 weeks ago with bad lash adjusters, it ticked loudly but it ran! Could I have a bent valve? Also, the way I lined up the chains.......I set the crank in TDC possition and on each chain I lined up one of the marked links with the line on the crank to cam sprocket which points striaght down when at TDC. Then I pulled the chains tight to the solid chain guides and wrapped them around the cam sprockets linning the other marked links with the points on the sprockets. They are new sprockets so the points are easily located. I turned the motor over by hand like 10 times very easily just to make sure there were no interferances and there was none. Everything was lined up according to my timming manual but I do not know if it matters whether the crank is on the correct stroke, to me it wouldnt cus the cams and the coil/timming sprocket would make it right as long as they are lined up correctly. I really thought I did it right but something messed up, is it possible that the timming sprocket sensor may have gone bad. I know my friend started cleaning out the back side of the front motor cover with WD40, could that have harmed anything?

Thanks for your time

 

Which stroke the crank is on doesn't matter as long as both cams are timed correctly in relationship to the crank.
Usually if you have a bent valve you'll hear a cylinder with low compression as you crank the engine on the starter. It's hard to describe but the cylinder with the bent valve will have low compression and it will crank faster. There will be a jump in cranking speed when it gets to that cylinder.
Just because it had spark when you took it apart doesn't mean it does now. It's possible that a wire is disconnected or something like that.
The WD40 to clean parts won't hurt anything.

 

I need to check it out but I think I know what the problem was. I do not remember for the life of me even plugging in the cam sensor....that would deffinitly keep it from starting. And, there was a plug that we couldnt figure what it was which came from a harness vain that ran near the oil pump, the very side that would have a prevision to plug the cam sensor in!!! I need to go to the shop to check it out but they are closed for the weekend.....Looks like monday morning is the day.

Thanks for all the help