Pull the codes and see what it has to say.

 

 

I think there are posts on here on using a test light and counting the number of blinks.
Do a search for reading codes with a test light.
Dave ----

 

Here's a link that shows you how to pull the codes. You need to learn this if you are going to keep this truck.

EEC IV Self Test hookup

 

 

 

The guy in the book says to unplug the engine coolant temperature sensor, take a short piece of wire and jump the two terminals out in the connector, and then re-run the self test again. If you get a code 61 instead of a code 51, replace the sensor.

If you still get a code 51 after jumping the connector, take the jumper out, and then stick a piece of wire up in the connector on the lightgreen/yellow side, and take the other end of this wire and hook it to a good ground. Repeat the self test again with this side grounded. If you still get a code 51 with the lightgreen/yellow grounded, the lightgreen/yellow wire is broken somewhere between the connector and pin 7 on the computer.

If you get a code 61 with the lightgreen/yellow wire grounded, then the other wire which is a black/white wire is broken somewhere between the connector and pin 46 of the computer.

 

 

The guy in the book says when you get a code 51, the sensor is telling the engine it's -40F ambient temperature. Maybe your truck is flooded out. When you get the sensor you might want to pull the plugs and see if they are wet and fouled out.

 

The plugs (which are Bosch 4302's) are very young in that motor, but I can think of two possible things that might've fouled them:

1) When I had the engine out of the pickup to replace the oil pump, I misaligned the pump driveshaft to the distributor and the engine ran without oil for 3 minutes or so. It got hot, this might've killed my sensor.
2) When all was put back together, I had reinserted the distributor out of town and had to realign to Top Dead Center. Maybe this soaked the plugs?

While I'm waiting for the sensor to come in (only $12 from Rockauto), would it be a good idea to pull all those Bosch plugs and turn the engine over to clear the chambers?

Franklin2, you are amazing sir!

 

You could crank it over without the plugs. I would pull some of the easy ones and see what they look like. If they are all wet they will need to be taken out and dried out, they usually won't fire like that.

 

Replaced the ECT Sensor, still no fire, but I didnt think that’d be the end-all fix.

So I pulled all 8 plugs and they all smelled like gas. And they look pretty rough for plugs that were just replaced in February! I’ve attached a photo.

Also turned the engine over without the plugs and watched each cylinder send out little puffs.

And because I saw the puffs of air, that means I have air in te chamber. The plugs smelled like fuel, so I take that to mean I have fuel. So maybe these plugs are the culprit?!?!

I’ll hit em with a wire brush and wipe them clean and give it another go. But, just to make sure, my firing order should be:

1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

correct?

 

That is the correct firing order if your engine is all original, and has the original factory camshaft. If you had the wires mixed up, it should at least pop and sputter. You have verified you do have spark?

 

Ok my take on the plugs .......... REPLACE THEM!
For 2 reasons
Get the "normal" plug for your truck as that is what the truck was made for.
I have heard of the new type of plugs not working / lasting in our older motors. Remember they are used in EFI engines so the fuel to air ratio is tight and a lot less to foul them.
What is the gap on that type of plug? How do you check it and if needed change the gap? Wider the gap the harder the IGN box has to work and faster it can fail.

When they foul out even cleaning them with a wire brush may not un-foul them
BTW I have had a normal plug lean foul and not fire under load even if just raising the RPM it would back fire out the tail pipe.

Go with the cheaper old school plugs and I bet it will fire.
Dave ----

edit: you can not see air move so that puff of air was fuel & dirt being blown out of the spark plug hole.