hi, i had another thread going about starting trouble for this truck, well, turns out, the starter is bad! although i think that might be my fault. trying it too many times for too long probably blew its magnets i think. anyway...

i was wondering, where do you get these the cheapest? my junkyard doesnt have old cars, they like to keep it 90 or newer. do the newer V8 fords use the same starter? or can you get like, rebuild kits? or maybe just the magnets? im so flat broke right now that i dunno what to do. thanks in advance!

 

Every parts house in America sells those starters. I'm sure they're not more than $50.

 

lol, well, thats much cheaper than i expected, but, still over 2 times what i was lookin to pay =P im broke as ****.

 

While you can get remanufactured starters for $50 and under at the parts stores, they're going to tear up your flywheel in the long run. No offense man, but if you don't have more than $25 in your "in case stuff happens" fund for your truck, a 70's pickup is going to be a handful for you. They're a lot of fun, but the fun doesn't come cheap.

 

A starter isn't a part you want to source from a salvage yard, even the reman/rebuilt starters from the parts stores are often suspect and of inferior quality, save up and buy a quality part (whatever it may be) and you'll only have to replace it once.

 

i know, i know. ok... i got it for plowing for the winter to make money. shoulda been smarter and picked up a newer truck. aight, ill save up for a new one lol thanks guys.

 

well. new starter is in! had a discouraging first attempted start, barely turned over at all. then i checked my battery and it was at 9 volts, lol. charged it up and it fired right up. now if only i could get my neighbors to move away so i can run it at night to check to see if its still backfiring through the carb. i THINK that problem was from it crossfiring, and ive got new spark plug cables on it and i arranged them to not make magnetic fields, BUT, i suspect i MAY have a bent push rod.

that said, is that easy to repair? i know these old engines have valve covers that pop right off... can you just take the valve parts out easy peasy? pleasy? lol. or at least can i just stick like a screwdriver down there and unbend a rod? i would really hate to have to overhaul this engine. maybe i should make a more appropriately titled thread, after i verify that its not fixed, tomorrow, when its "acceptable" to run my engine. argh.

 

Why do you think you have a bent pushrod? If you do....yes, in your case (broke) you can loosen the rocker, pull out the pushrod and tap it straight (until it rolls freely on a flat surface) and reinstall. I have done it before after a missed shift and over rev on a GTO 389.

 

well, my reckoning is that sometimes my truck backfires through the carb. usually only when revving it. and it immediately bogs down after. i was figuring one of the intake valves isnt closing all the way when the engine is under stress. i believe this to be the case because the guy who sold me the truck had one of the pistons (well, 5 to 6) was crossfiring, and i figure this would put extra stress on the rod. its either the rod or the valve is effed.

 

i also could be completely wrong in my idea as to what a pushrod is. lol =P rod that pushes valves...?

 

The pushrods come from the lifters at the camshaft, to the rocker arms at the valves. Do some research before you start tearing into something. You'll feel a whole lot better, before, during & ultimately after.

P.S. If it idles smoothly, chances are there are no bent pushrods.

 

yeah. it does idle smoothly, once it warms up. what else could cause the backfire through the carb? it was crossfiring, possibly for up to a year before i took it.

 

Crossfire, first off. Timing, sometimes carb.

 

well, im pretty sure i fixed the crossfire with a new plug cable that doesnt overlap the others. the timing may be part of it. also the carb may need a rebuild. is there a way to be sure which one is which? like i said, im broke as a dog. still doesnt it make sense that since it was crossfiring some kind of damage may have resulted? buh. anyway. is checking the timing something thats fairly easy? from my understanding you put a test light in one of the spark plug holes (#1 i think?), spin the crankshaft with a torque wrench till it lights up, then put the distributor in a certain way? (maybe just look at it under the cap and see if its lined up with the sparkplug wire for that cylinder?)lol sorry guys im really new at dealing with these older cars. never had a carb or distributor before..

Edit:

PS, the plugs are wired correctly, first thing i checked =P

 

I would suggest you buy a Chiltons repair manual for your truck. I know, your'e broke, but it will answer most of your questions and probably keep you from screwing anything up. It also has a trouble shooting section.
As for the timing.......you'll need to buy or borrow a timing light, then follow the instructions that come with the light or in the Chilton's manual. Very simple. Good luck.