I have a 1973 F-100 pickup that won't start. It's getting fuel to the carburetor but still won't fire. Could the automatic choke be stuck? If so, is it possible to get it unstuck?

 

If the choke is stuck, you can see it when you pull the air cleaner. You should be able to push it open with little effort. If, when you work the throttle, you can see fuel in the carb from the accelerator pump, then you have fuel.

Move to spark.

Pull a plug, set it on a metal part of the engine and have the engine cranked. You should see a spark at the plug. No? Pull the distributor cap and check the points or the rotor. Now we get into what do you have? Do you have any upgrades or are you still points?

Trace the wires back and make sure you have connections.

Any work done recently? Any events, such as a mean backfire when it stopped last? Make sure the distributor turns when you crank the motor.

Also, try this: Turn the crank by hand until the rotor moves. Then, turn the crank by hand in the opposite direction. If you have serious crank rotation before the rotor moves, you have a worn timing chain, or if gear driven like the 300 six, major gear issues. That could lead to a jumped timing chain which will put the motor so far out of time it won't start even though fuel and spark are present.

Good luck.

 

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