I am totally bummed. The engine turns over but doesn't start. Here are some additional points:
Looking from the front of the truck the enging turns clockwise-I kind of thought it should turn the other direction.

I don't hear any clicking from the relay.

Gas comes out of the fuel line at the carburetor but I don't see any gas in the carb when I take the air cleaner off. The carb was professionally rebuilt and tested so I know that it works.

I took the wire off the coil and when the engine cranked I couldn't see or hear a spark. All the wires,plugs, points, condensor are new.

The transmission is a Ford-O-Matic and I am trying to start it with the trans in neutral.

The battery is brand new-although now is almost drained since I tried starting it so much.

Could I have some of the wiring reversed? How else can I tell if there is gas getting into the carb and a spark getting to the plugs. Any additional pointers would be much appreciated.

 

Do you have the correct resistor block in place on the coil circuit (assuming you still have the stock setup)? I know when mine went out, the thing wouldn't run for beans. Take a quick look at the points and see if they look burnt.

If you have the stock distributor setup, do you have a good diaphragm in the vacuum module?

 

This is a flat V8?

What relay? The starter relay? If it's cranking, it works.

It sounds like you took the fuel line off and cranked it, and gas came out in proidigious quantities? It should really spurt out of there. Does gas squirt down the throttle bore when you pump the linkage?
I sure wouldn't make that assumption.

If you are running 6volts, bad condensers right out of the box are very, very common. Best reason to run 12v.

 

Start with the basics. When you pump the accellerator, is there gas squirting out the venturies? If not, pull the top off the carb and make sure the needle and seat are working properly. If the bowl has gas in it, the accellerator pump probably isn't working. Just because it was tested, doesn't mean it's right. Is the bowl full of dirt now?
Assuming there gas now, you need to check for spark. If it's a positive ground system, the wire from the harness should go to the neg side of the coil. Pos goes to the dist. Make sure the little braided wire in dist is not grounding out. Check the wire going to the coil for voltage when you're cranking it over. a volt meter willwork for this. Pull the coil wire out of the dist cap and place it about a 1/4 inch from a good ground. A cyl head works fine. Don't hold it in your hand or you'll get bit! Crank it over and watch the wire for a spark. If not, check to make sure the points are set properly. You can also get a spark but using a screwdriver and place it between the point set and the center shaft and make the points open up. You'll get some arcing with the screwdriver. THe ign must be on. If you get a spark at the coil wire, replace cap and pull a plug wire off and put it near a ground the same way. Crank the engine and look for the spark. If you get a spark this way, you're close to home. The spark must be blue in color. Yellow is the sign of a weak coil or bad plug wires. Put a little gas down the carb and have someone stand by with a fire ext. just in case. Don't put much down the carb in case of a back fire! If it fires over and then dies, your problem is probably the carb. Make sure the fuel pump is pumping gas before you do anything. Also make sure your starter has a good clean mounting surface, so it will crank over decently. Good cables are important also. If it's 6V, they must be 00 guage and in good shape for it to crank properly.
THe 3 basic things you need for it to start is Spark, Fuel and Air. Make sure your choke is working properly. It won't start very well unless it's at least 3/4 closed.
Above all remember Safety is the key word!! Don't take chances. Make sure truck is in nuetral and the wheels are blocked.
With a Ford-O-Matic, they use a nuetral switch. If it's bad, it won't start. Make sure it's wired correctly.
If you're facing the fan blade, it turns clockwise, not counter clockwise.
I've tried to hit all the bases but may have forgotten something. Someone else may chime in to hit on anything I may have forgotten.


Barry

50 F-1

 

FIrst off I don't see gas squirting out of the carb at all. I comes out of the line put not very impressively. The fuel pump is new. How do I know if the braided wire in the dist is grounding out, what does it have to touch to make this happen. The carb worked on the test engine when it was rebuilt two weeks ago. Where do I look for fuel in there. I don't know what to disassemble without taking something out of alignment. Where is the neutral switch for the Ford-O-Matic and is there a special wire harness that I need for that I don't know that the one I got from Sac Vintage Ford was special for automatics.

 

If you don't think you are getting gas through your carb, dump a little gas in the top your carb and try to start it.

 

Sorry Barry! you already suggested that.

 

Barry, Thanks for the detailed info. I looked into the carb better today and gas is getting in there, it kind of runs out of the jets it doesn't spray, since I have never had a carburetor car I don't know what it's supposed to look like. I took the wire off the dist cap from the coil and with the ingition in neutral there is no spark when you crank it over. How can I tell if the coil is bad or if the starter cut off for the automatic transmission is the problem. All the plug wires are new as is the dist cap, points, condenser and rotor. The carb is a 4 barrel and when I cranked it I only saw gas coming out of the front two not all of them, is that correct? I am kind of a novice when it comes to the electrical system of cars I'm more of a nuts and bolts guy. This is my first restoration project. hank for the help-I like simple and detailed instructions!

Chris

 

The starter won't even turn if its the nuetral switch so it sounds like yours is okay. If you hook an ohm meter across your coil(un hooked of course) you should get between 1.2-1.6ohms resistance. If you don't have one, get a test light, confirm when the key is on there is power to the coil. One lead from the coil goes to the starter soleniod, make sure that is hooked up.

 

The engine does crank even if it's in park so how does that show that the ignition switch is not the problem. The wire from the harness goes to the Batt pole on the coil and there is another wire that goes from that pole to the starter resistor. The other pole is labeled Dist and that wire goes to the side of the distributor. How can I tell if the braided wire in the dist is grounding out the system.

 

This has to be an electrical glitch...bad coil...points not adjusted correctly...bad condensor...wires mis-routed. Gas only goes thru the two front venturi when starting and normal driving. When you floor it...that cuts in the two additional venturi.

 

clock wise? is that correct? When changing from 6v pos ground to 12v neg ground, does the starter direction and therefore engine direction change? I'm not sure but it may be worth checking

 

Doug, I think it "looks" wrong going clockwise too! The engine has always been 12 volts and I believe negative ground so the direction shouldn't change. The fan blades look like clockwise is the correct direction though.

 

When you are talking about the rotation of an engine you are referring to the direction the rotor turns inside the distributor, not the cooling fan on the front.

Bobby

 

I am describing the direction of the cooling fan in front. Mine turns clockwise when you are facing the truck from the front. Bt the way I have taken out the coil and will have it tested in the next day or two to see if it's bad. From what I can tell from FTE and what I have read a faulty coil seems like a high probabiltiy.