What's up everyone. I was wondering if anyone near Austin TX would be willing to come over and give me a hand getting my 69-74 351W up and running. I have been fighting it for about three months now. I changed the coil, checked for shorts, swapped out the fuel pump, coil wires, spark plug wires. I checked the fireing order as well as changed out the spark plugs and still nothing. It was running fine before minus some timing issues, and then it just stopped. I am new to the restoration of cars and have exausted all of the resorses that I can think of. I don't have alot of money so I was hopeing that I could get someone to come over for some Bar-b-Q and beer, to teach me a few things and in the process get my car roaring. Thank you for taking it into concideration have a great day.
Surely someone from Austin will help you. Is it even trying to start? at least this will run it to the top. Probably something simple. Good luck. TP
Hey thanks everyone. It doesn't even try to start, it will turn over but it is acting like it doesn't have any spark. There is no sputter or anything the only thing that I get from her is a spit of mist out of the top of the carb. Don't know if it is fuel or not doesn't smell like it is anything but air. Of coarse I am not going to stick my head in there to sniff a fireball. I thought that mabye it wasn't geting fuel because I changed every electrical componant in the vehicle. So I pulled the line and hand a freind of mine turn it over, the fuel pump was pumping fuel not sure of how much it should be moving but it moved. Well that is the run down I am at a loss I have no clue what is wrong with her. I am sure that it was something that I am missing I just don't know what else to look at. If there is a road trip let me know in advance and we will have a cook out ready for yall. Thanks again everyone, if I don't reply right away it is because I am banging my head against the fender of my car. And yelling hestericlly. (LOL)
I would be glad to look at it next time I'm in Austin. Those engines had timing chain problems. I would do a compression check. Does the starter really turn it over? I would pull a valve cover and check if both #1 valves look closed when It is 360 out from firing. That is per the crank. The dist will be out as much as the cam.
Put the positive lead of the voltmeter on the + coil, and the - lead on some car ground (- battery post, etc). You should read about 8 volts or so with the ignition switch on, no volts with it off. If it reads +12 volts, then you don't have a ballast resistor, and probably an electronic ignition. If it reads 0 volts, bump the starter, as the points may be closed. The - post of the coil should go to the distributor (don't get these backwards, as that is a common mistake for new guys for some reason). If you don't have any voltage, ever, on the + coil terminal, then the ignition switch or a fusable link, or a fuse may have gone. To troubleshoot, run a #10 wire from the + battery post to the ballast resistor (on the side opposite of the wire going to the + coil terminal). This will bypass the ignition switch.
I am getting 12 volts to the coil in the run position. And I don't remember ever wiring a balast resistor. So I will dive back into the diagrams and take a look to see what I find thanks for the help everyone.
Well darn, if I was there I'd sure come over. 12 volts is OK for now, but if it's points and condensor, then pick up a ballast soon. Now go check your distributor cap. Take a look under it and make sure it is OK. The little graphite rod should make it all the way to the rotor, and the rotor and cap should have a nice non-pitted look. Make sure the wires are set-up for a ford and not a chevy, and I think the 351 is wired CCW. Pull the boots back on the cap and plugs and make sure they are done right. Re-Gap the points and plugs (can't hurt). Stick a screwdriver in one of the spark plug boots, and make sure your hand is on the plastic handle (put your other hand in your pocket), and as the engine is cranking, hold the boot close to the plug. You should see a nice spark. Edit: One final thought, spray some ether down the carb. Maybe you got a load of bad gas??
A long shot, did you change the points and condenser when you tuned? If you did by chance did you change the screws that hold these devices in? Long story short I did that once because I lost a screw and I relpaced with a tid bit longer because that was all I had, well it failed to start, finally back tracked and replaced screw with proper length fired right up. My sons 351 cleveland same problem changer starter switch and has been running ever since.
I don't know about 351s but my 460 also had the cylinders numbersd 1-4 on one side and 5-8 on the other, not even and odds like a chevy.
What is the sequence of events ? 1. It stopped running and then you have changed all the parts to try to get it running again. 2. It was running fine when you started changing parts and it hasn't run since. If it is the first one, then I would suspect the timing chain. Do a compression test to verify that the timing chain hasn't jumped some teeth.
The sequence of events went like this. I rewired the car useing the painless wiring kit (that is Bull nothing painless about it). then I started her up she was running and idleing at a uneven tone, and when you put it in gear it would drive fine with a little throttle. As soon as you give it more it would back fire. I read up on that and everything pointed to timeing. So I read up on how to time it. Nothing the samething happens. Then through all of this I foul out all eight plugs trying. I replaced the plugs and continue. I asked a friend of mine to help who is working on a 50 Plym. He couldn't get it to even change where the timing mark was on the ballancer. It just stayed in one place no matter wher you moved the distributer. The next day in frustration fed by determination I went out to continue trying to fix this problem and nothing. She just spun the starter and did nothing no pilar of fire from the carb no back fire to frighten the kids next door, Just the starter. so I did the standeard checks fuel and spark. No spark ahh thats easy :/ checked the coil to see if I was getting power. - to a solid peice of metal no key no power, cool key in the run 12 volts. Pulled the wire from the cap to the distributer no power in the run position. Changed out the wire got my 12 back. Tried to start it nothing still the dame agonising sound of the starter cranking away. So in the frustration of my car not starting and not knowing why I started just putting new parts on. changed the fuel pump, the distributer, all of the spark plugs, all of the spark plug wires, the battery cables, my voltmeter, and still wreeah wreeeah. I am pretty sure that it is something that I am missing. So this thread on the forum is my desperation not to turn my hobby into explosives and using my car as the test. (JK I would shoot my dog before I would hurt my car) I haven't checked the timeing chain a couple of hambers have ofered to come over and help, we are just trying to get the schedules to match. This forum rocks I am glad that there is a good honest group of people that just like to talk cars and not try to scam you out of your little bit of cash the wife lets you have. When I get it running I will post a link on Youtube so that everyone car hear her. Thanks again guys let me now if there is anything that I can do to repay.
Well someone came over to the house to help me out and it took him longer to drive over to my house than help me get her running. All I need to say is that if you do not plug the spark plugs in the right place it won't start. ***LOL*** Another hamber is going to help me vacum time her and that should be the last step. Thank you all for the help that you gave to get my girl on the road.
Say! I have a MONSTER ford guy here at the shop. come by on a saturday and ask for Curt (probably would not hurt to call first- 386-9889) and pick his brain for a while. I am sure he can point tou to power! nice car! Lux
have you run a wire from the battery to the distibutor side (on a chevy it is the negative, the minus post) of the coil? then crank the motor. Then you KNOW you have juice to the coil, and should have it to the distributor. hot wire it.
im sorry but this made me laugh out loud, great description of the motor trying to start, i wouldn't have been that clever
Don't for get there are two different firing orders for small block fords http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=172076&highlight=FORD+FIRING+ORDER 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
..and sometimes people dont consider the 351 in the "small block " family. I dont think its the same as a 289/302. So if your searching for SBF it might not fit your application. Im a little new to fords so correct me if Im wrong. I like the cougar too!
should be the same, cams swap between all three engines (that is what causes the different firing orders)
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