the 400 won't fire

[Moose]

The last thing I want to do is tear something apart, when it wasn't the problem in the first part. Maybe yall've had experience with these symptoms.

I type, "engine won't start," and nothing returns

The engine turns (the starter works), but it won't fire over.

1. It drove fine last weekend.
2. Within the year (~2,000 miles), I replaced the carbeurater, ignition box, wires, spark plugs, distributor cap, and coil.
3. I checked the distributor if it the timing got off and it was tight.
4. I tested the hots on the coil and ignition box w/a test light and they were fine.
5. The battery was dead when I learned the engine wouldn't fire. Coinsidence?
6. I climbed in the engine compartment, took off the air cleaner, and fed the carb some gas with the throttle. I saw fuel pissing in.
7. My opinion is it might either be the mechanical fuel pump bolted to the block (which is original). I didn't think they could fail. Unless the diaphram finally ruptured.
8. My second opinion is the distributor itself (it is also original). Since by visual inspection, fuel was squirted into the carb by hand throttle and it didn't fire.
9. I have a quarter tank of gas. It's only a few weeks old. It's gone longer on the same tank of gas.
10. Visually, the fuel filter is fine. It's only 2,000 miles old.
11. Since I drove it last weekend, the wires are in their correct location.
12. All spark plugs can't go bad at once.

I hate to replace a part that isn't broken, but if yall think it's work the headache, I'll check my wallet. I really wan't the MSD PN:8580 for $225. But I hate electrical anything, so electrical fuel pumps are almost out of possibility.

[uglyota]

Did you check for fire directly? Pull a plug, plug it into the wire, ground the threads against something that should be grounded (header bolt, etc) and have someone crank it over. Look for a strong blue spark. If you don't have fire start working your way back. Check the cap and rotor and make sure everything's still there. Does that thing have points or a pickup coil? What about the coil wire? check the resistance on it (specs should be in your manual). Now check the primary and secondary resistance on your coil (correct ohm ranges will be in your manual), now check your icm (or bring it in to the parts store and have them test it).
Sounds to me like your problem is spark and you're concentrating on fuel

[Moose]

It does have points type distributor. How does a distributor fail? everything in the cap and rotor were ok. I pulled the cap and grinded all tits under the cap. Nothing. It's the '78 bronco, so the ICM is out. The coil is the MSD off-road coil. So it's fine, because I checked hot to that. It sounds like it's the distributor, but I didn't think they fail all of the sudden. I thought something like this would be gradual and slowly fail.

Thanks for the reply

[uglyota]

check the coil...not just hot to it. you check resistance from each post to where the wire plugs in (I think this is supposed to be low) and resistance from one post to another (I think this is supposed to be high). See if the rotor turns freely? Maybe something happened to your dist. drive gear? I assume you've charged the battery all the way back up before you did anything? Check fuses?

[sasquatch]

i agree with eric, check to see if fire is reaching the plugs first

[Moose]

ok. finally got time to pull the #2 plug. inspecting the plug after snapping the tip off, the gap was at .050 something thousanths. specs say .042 - .046. i bought all new plugs. but first wanted to check if i could even get fire. i do in fact have a nice spark. so does this completely rule out the ignition system?

i'll check the coil next. but i can't energize the coil to test it properly like the manual says if i can't start it.

i'll go ahead and replace the distributor cap and rotor because it might be cracked and gotten wet? because i splashed some muddy water into the engine compartment by driving in a ditch two weekends before this all happened. the points in the cap looked fine, but i used my dremel to grind them just as a precaution. can you grind them down too much?

[redcagepatrol]

I have one for sale - just replace the whole engine!

[uglyota]

Does the motor not fire at all, or just not enough to run? If you're getting fire at the plugs it's not your ignition system. Did you make sure none of your valve tappets came loose or pushrods bent? It ran fine until you parked it, then when you came back the battery was dead and it wouldn't run?

[agjohn02]

fuel, spark, compression

[Moose]

Does the motor not fire at all, or just not enough to run? If you're getting fire at the plugs it's not your ignition system. Did you make sure none of your valve tappets came loose or pushrods bent? It ran fine until you parked it, then when you came back the battery was dead and it wouldn't run?

it doesn't fire at all. i haven't checked the valve tappets (roller rockers? rocker retainers?) or push rods. but there was no tapping, knocking, etc. that i could hear.

It ran fine until you parked it, then when you came back the battery was dead and it wouldn't run? <-- correct

[jerryg79]

My dad once told me that a .44 magnum will go through an engine block, my suggestion is that you try to prove him wrong, while secretly praying that he is right.

[Reckless]

it will

[Moose]

fuel, spark, compression

spark: couldn't be now.

compression: i just did a total rebuild from the heads and up. only stock item above block was distributor and fuel pump. replaced time chain.

the heads have hardened valve guides and seats. but i'll pull the valve covers just to confirm.

each fill-up, i use 93 octone fuel and lead additive (becuase it runs better).

fuel: could there be trash in fuel channels of the brand new holley?

maybe timing fell off just enough to not run at all? again, the distributor felt tight, but that thing vibrates like crazy. come to think of it, i remember looking over at the passneger window a lot, worrying that it would shatter due to all the rattling. maybe it was slowly falling out of timing?

[fbronco86]

If you are getting spark and you put some gas down the carb and it does not fire. That sounds like a timing issue.

My parents had a ford van and the timing chain on it jumped a tooth when we turned it off one time.

[Seth]

My parents had a ford van and the timing chain on it jumped a tooth when we turned it off one time.

460?

[Graystroke]

find the #1 plug wire on the dizzy. pull the cap and spin the engine until the rotor points at it. pull the valve cover and make sure both valves are closed on the #1 cylinder to make sure it is timed.

[fbronco86]

460?


351w

[Moose]

ok. it started after i replaced #2 spark plug with a new one. but now it won't start again. what the hell!?

1st, i decided to do one thing at a time so i could figure out which repair fixed the problem. so, just to get everything back together, i had to go ahead and install the new #2 plug. fired it up to ensure it wouldn't start. but it STARTED. i shat myself.

2nd: so i attempted to go ahead and replace the distributor cap and rotor, and all new spark plugs. fired it up to verify, and sure enough, it started.

thought to myself, i'm tired of staring at those clear eyesights for the float bowls for the holley. so, pulled the air cleaner assembly and pcv hose to the driver side valve cover and the neihbor comes over. i explained to him everything that happened and wanted to show him right in the middle of the float bowl plug replacement. so, i replaced one side and attempted to start it, and it did the same thing it did before all this **** happened. it won't start again.

then, i went ahead and put the other eyesight on, put the air cleaner back on and it still won't start. i checked if i broke any wires or connections or any emission lines, everything was fine. ford sucks! i'm so confused.

[Moose]

ok. was grilling some sausage and burgers. just for the fun of it, decided to try it, and it STARTED!? what's going on?

[agjohn02]

its flooding

[Moose]

it's never done this before, i could stand on the pedal all day long and it would never not start because of lead foot.

one other thing, it gets hot faster now. so, i checked my brand new griffin dual 1-1/4" super cooling aluminum radiator and it was very low. refilled it, it's still gets hot.

[Graystroke]

here's my old remedy for fixing a ford:
jack up the radiator cap and pull the ford out and put a chevy under it...then throw away the cap b/c it is tainted w/ furdness. :flipoff2:

[sasquatch]

if its running hot all of a sudden the mixture is too lean. i think

[redcagepatrol]

if its running hot all of a sudden the mixture is too lean. i think
true - but he should just buy my engine...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8056189488&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT