WTF is right. Many people have taken their time to offer up ideas. Please answer the questions asked of you. Trouble shooting is a about stepping through things in a logical order. We that cannot be there can't get the full picture of what has or hasn't been done unless you tell us exactly.

Here are a couple more questions.
5. How did you check for spark - exactly?
6. How did you check the timing - exactly?

THE TIMING MARKS ON THE DAMPER MAY BE WRONG - the damper on Y-blocks are known to slip which will put the timing marks in the wrong spot.

Again, please answer all my questions directly. Yes, I am persistent.

 

Well you have been on three forums asking the same questions and getting the same replies. Everyone here and on those other forums are trying to help you out. You need to not be so hard and look at it from where we are. You ask a question and we are not there so we need to ask a million questions, there is something that is being overlooked or missed by you and your dad and we are just trying to help. We know you are frustrated, so are all the guys on these forums trying to help you. Answer the questions and stupid as they may seem. IE I bought a ford taurus and had keys made at ace hardware. They unlocked the door, wnet into the ignition, and turned the car over and it started for a second and died. This happend about 10 times before I tried the original key and the car started fine. The key was an antitheft key, the ones I made were not. That is why I asked if there might be a KILL switch somewhere. Just trying to help ya kid
Good luck and keep us all posted. Never give up
Jeff

 

What is the history on the engine, did you ever get to hear it run before the swap? I know you said it had compression in the #1 cylinder but if it was me I would get a hold of a compression tester and verify all the cylinders have decent compression. I would also take the advice of pulling the valve covers and seeing if your valves are opening and closing properly. With all the basics you have described I wonder if something could be amiss with the internals as in
timing marks, valve train etc.

 

Give some answers:
1. Have you checked TDC marks with #1 piston? yes we have checked and they are correct

2. Checked if #1 valves are closed at TDC? yes my dad has checked that

3. Checked if the rotor points to #1 plug at TDC? we replaced them today, and we checked that, and yes they do

4. Do you have a timing light? yes we have a timing light and we'll try it out next time we go over to my grandmas to work on it

5. How did you check for spark - exactly? -first way, we took the spark plugs out and touched them to the bolt on the valve cover, a blue spark shot across. second way, we took the wires off the spark plugs, put a screwdriver in there, and it shocked my dad, on all 8 of them, so there is spark.

6. How did you check the timing - exactly? this part im not sure, my dad did this part, but i know he checked it. ill ask him tomorrow, he's asleep right now

 

oh yea, no kill switch either anywhere on the car, sorry, and yea i heard it run before we got the motor, the guy had to move the car to a spot so he can pull the engine out. it ran fine then. and i apologize if i havent answered any questions, ill ask my dad how we're doing this stuff because im not that knowledgeable.. im sorry. like that one guy said, im just a little frustrated i guess. i'll try to be more in depth with my answers.

 

What about the ballast resister? You should have one. It might be shorted.

My 59 Ranchero 292 had a resister on the firewall and sometimes they go bad. When I switched to electronic ignition (no points) it eliminated the ballast resister.

 

OK, thanks for the replies!
Damper marks are still in the right spot - good.
The valves are closed at TDC - it's still possible the timing chain has jumped.
The rotor is at #1.
Those 3 things are your static timing.

Hooking up the timing light while cranking will tell you exactly when the spark is occurring. It should flash very near to TDC on the damper. Sounds like your Dad went above and beyond on the spark tests! Blue spark off the block - good.

How about fuel? Did you ever decide if the carb was flooding?

If your fuel and spark timing are close, than it is narrowed down to compression and valve timing as the culprit. If you can borrow a gauge and get compression readings. That would tell alot too. Try the timing light first though.

Frustration - been there, done that, will do it again.

 

my shop teacher used to gound point wire in dist. to mess with us, it will crank ,
but not run or run poorley

 

Have you physically verified compression on all eight cylinders?

 

Never mind. I see where you answered the question in a newer post. Just hadn't got to that one yet when I responded to the earlier post. Glad you figured it out.

 

it hit me that we all call #1 piston, well #1.
might be a lame question, but are you using the front passenger side cylinder as #1?
i think chevy are opposite? (i'm a ford guy)

 

The best approach at this point is to either find a mechanic that will make house calls, or haul it into a mechanic.

 

Strongly agree.

 

i had this one bookmarked.
start reading the engine section.

1958 Ford Manual - The Old Car Manual Project

 

Ranch57,

SWWEEETT link, best advice yet for this guy... ) sorry forgot his name, keeps changing it from site to site.

Y-Blockhead