Starting Problems

Hello everyone,

Been working on my mach today because it wouldn't start a few days ago. Just put in new motorcraft plugs and still can not get the damn thing to fire up. It cranks strong, battery is 95% charged. Plugs looked like they weren't changed for years by previous owner.

The thing that worries me is I hear a clicking noise when i get out of the car after I crank the engine. Perhaps my starter has broken or overheated? Weird though for cranking the engine 3 times and giving up.

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Thanks

If it is still cranking the starter is not broken.

Do you have spark?

Do you have fuel?

Answer these and we can start to suggest from there.

Also, what heat range plugs do you have and what did you gap them at?

This would more than likely cause a run issue and not a start issue unless they were WAY off.

I have plugs gapped at 0.035 in and they are Ford Motorcraft Copper Spark Plugs SP-450 ASF42C. I have fuel in carb and I can get a spark on every cylinder's plug when I test them with a paper clip.

I had replaced all the plugs because one of the cylinders was misfiring due to a super fouled plug

test with a paperclip? Never heard of that????

Are you getting a good strong spark and not a weak yellow spark?

If you have spark and fuel those two things along with compression and some air at the right time are what is needed.

Have you checked compression? Has the distributor been turned throwing off timing? Did you get the plug wires on properly in the correct timing order for a 351c?

I get a kind of blue-ish spark. The wires are on properly so it might be distributor timing off a bit

You said it kranks hard... Have you done some work on the engine? if it ran before was it running smooth or was it irregular at idle?

if the engine turns and nothing happens except drowning itself quickly. Not even some backfire.

Even crappy but clean plugs should init. New ones wet of fuel even with a large gap should also at least say that they exist

at some point...

Makes me think there is no compression. Like valves staying open or not sealing the chambers

during compression stroke. Old distribution chain components broken (my 73 had some weird plastic gear) , somehow too long pushrods..

if you remove cyl one plug and krank the engine by hand, do you feel compression?

Then, if you have compression, I'd ditch the paperclips for a voltmeter and check the wire from ignition key to positive side of coil. Keyon/engineoff. to see if you have a steady 12v olt and test if you have also juice during krank.

of course, if you gave us more details that would be more easy...

Did you make any other changes when you changed the plugs? Like new cables, cap, and rotor?

13726548 if its a 351c, you'll need that firing order...

I get a kind of blue-ish spark. The wires are on properly so it might be distributor timing off a bit

Click to expand...

Do you get any type of cough or wanting to start at all? Or just cranks and cranks with nothing? Even if the distributor is off quite a bit and you have good spark and fuel it still still give you something.

Hi again, I just checked distributor and it isnt off at all. I also made sure the spark plug wires are on correctly. When I let the engine rest after cranking it I hear a knocking sound about 2 times every 5 seconds.

Do you get any type of cough or wanting to start at all? Or just cranks and cranks with nothing? Even if the distributor is off quite a bit and you have good spark and fuel it still still give you something.

Also. How did you check the distributor? With a timing light on the wire for the number 1 cylinder pointed at your timing marks while someone cranks. This will give you what the timing is at. But like stated before and above, even if it is way off you would get some sort of cough or wanting to start noises.

Have you done a compression check? All 8 cylinders.

How old is the timing set and what type is it?

Usually that knocking sound indicates timing is too advanced.

It starts but doesnt sound like it even wants to fire up, it just whines on and on. I tested timing with timing light and also compression checks out around 151.1 average, lowest was cylinder 7 at 148 and highest was #4 at 152

Timing set is about 4 months old, not sure about the type I'll have to check my papers

It is weird that the knocking happens only after I let the engine rest. Perhaps gas is igniting somewhere?

Just chiming in..  Start with the basics.. First is to check for compression as mentioned before.. Yours appears to be very good.  Next would be the ignition timing.  Spark will occur even if timing is off the mark and you've got a blue spark, which is also excellent.. You also stated it had been set 4 months ago..  Fuel also appears to be readily available to the carburetor..

If the timing is not on the mark (6 degrees I believe), then the problem could be the points and condenser.  If they test ok, then it's very possible the timing chain has skipped a tooth or two.. I'm not understanding the knocking noise after shut down, but that usually indicates the unburned gas in the cylinders is burning off causing a deiseling  affect.. (Engine continues to fire off a few cylinders when shut down).

If the engine has compression, fuel and ignition, it should run... It's also possible there is moisture (water) in the gas tank which will impede the starting and running. You're in the northeast and that is a common problem this time of year..

You said there is fuel in the carburetor. How did you determine that?

Immediately after cranking it pull a couple of spark plugs and see if they are wet or fouled with oil.

I would also check your oil level and smell the oil to see if it smells like gasoline.

Oil definately is mixing with gasoline and I can see gas squirt into the carb when i pull on the throttle

If you are getting gas in the oil it is coming from bad fuel pump, bad spark plug(s) or a carburetor that is flooding the engine, possibly through a malfunctioning float or a porous casting. A bad power valve on a Holley carburetor will cause a rich condition.

I have an edelbrock carb and I probably flooded the engine by trying to tune it with bad spark plugs a week ago and I did pump the gas alot while doing it. Is there a way I can make the engine recover from a flooded condition? If i let it sit too long that gas will probably turn into gunk and mess the engine up even more. Also I hope this is what is causing that knocking sound when the car is off, excess gas igniting in the engine somewhere.