HELP it just won't fire
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Joined: Jun 2006
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HELP it just won't fire
I have been racking my brain for the past three days... My friend one day decides to help me with my tune up and to my surprise he takes off all my spark plug wires without marking them 
For the past few days I have been trying everything to get my truck to start again. I replaced the celinoid, cap & rotor, plugs and wires, and even the module, nothing it's still not getting a spark. It sounds like it's cranking over right (and i know it's getting gas) but it still won't fire. I have an 1983 Ford F100 with the 3.8L V6. Please I could really use advice.
Dave
For the past few days I have been trying everything to get my truck to start again. I replaced the celinoid, cap & rotor, plugs and wires, and even the module, nothing it's still not getting a spark. It sounds like it's cranking over right (and i know it's getting gas) but it still won't fire. I have an 1983 Ford F100 with the 3.8L V6. Please I could really use advice.Dave
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,532
Likes: 5
From: Trussville, Alabama
Dave,
sorry for the slow reply. My web time has been tight lately.
First thing, Welcome to FTE!
Glad ot have you here and hope we can help.
When you say "it won't fire." can you give a little more detail?
Have you pulled a plug, and with it attached to the plug wire, and grounded to the engine block, spun the motor over to see if you get a spark across the gap?
If you have fire at the plug(s) then the next order of business would be to insure you have all plug wires connected to the proper cylinder.
The plugs might be firing but all at the wrong time.
Properly timed fire with proper air/fuel mixture should result in a running engine.
Let us know what you find.
sorry for the slow reply. My web time has been tight lately.
First thing, Welcome to FTE!
Glad ot have you here and hope we can help.
When you say "it won't fire." can you give a little more detail?
Have you pulled a plug, and with it attached to the plug wire, and grounded to the engine block, spun the motor over to see if you get a spark across the gap?
If you have fire at the plug(s) then the next order of business would be to insure you have all plug wires connected to the proper cylinder.
The plugs might be firing but all at the wrong time.
Properly timed fire with proper air/fuel mixture should result in a running engine.
Let us know what you find.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
Everything else being the same - it sounds like the plug wires were put back in the wrong order. This is why most people swap them out ONE wire at a time.
You will need to line up the timing marks on the lower pulley to top dead center and do a by-the-book rewire. Pay attention to which way the distributor rotor turns! Whichever wire it points to at TDC will be either number one or number five if the firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6 as I think it is.
The right bank of cylinders front to back should be 1, 2, and 3. The drivers side is 4, 5, and 6.
Going around the distributor cap from the number one cylinder wire and going CLOCKWISE the wires follow the firing order. They DO NOT go 1-2-3-4-5-6!!!
If it backfires when you try starting it, the wires are 180 degrees out of order, and what to do about that if it happens (theres a fifty-fifty chance of it) is swap the wires AT THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP 1 to 4, then 2 to 5, then 3 to 6. It should fire right off the bat.
~Wolf
PS: It might be very helpful to do this without your friend anywhere near your truck at the time...
You will need to line up the timing marks on the lower pulley to top dead center and do a by-the-book rewire. Pay attention to which way the distributor rotor turns! Whichever wire it points to at TDC will be either number one or number five if the firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6 as I think it is.
The right bank of cylinders front to back should be 1, 2, and 3. The drivers side is 4, 5, and 6.
Going around the distributor cap from the number one cylinder wire and going CLOCKWISE the wires follow the firing order. They DO NOT go 1-2-3-4-5-6!!!
If it backfires when you try starting it, the wires are 180 degrees out of order, and what to do about that if it happens (theres a fifty-fifty chance of it) is swap the wires AT THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP 1 to 4, then 2 to 5, then 3 to 6. It should fire right off the bat.
~Wolf
PS: It might be very helpful to do this without your friend anywhere near your truck at the time...
Last edited by Greywolf; Jun 21, 2006 at 09:05 PM.
