I drug in a old torino had a 351 w engine. My know it all teenage son Chris pulled the engine and installed it in a 64 fairlane. he was over at the shop revving the engine and messing about. It ran terrible. I was driving truck and trying to sleep. Aggravated I went over there and told him it has bad valves. threatened him with my number nines to quit looking for a miracle fix. He told me just to show you I will pull the heads. Later that day when we ate supper I asked him which valves where bad. He replied every exhaust valve was burned. and if he could get a engine with 8 burnt exhaust valves started certainly your 289 can be made to run?
I would think that any crack in the intake manifold would be highly suspect. It doesn't take hardly a thing to reduce the seal and cancel vacuum. If you aren't smelling gasoline or seeing wet plugs, and you're spraying directly into the carb any sort of flammable liquid, that's where I'd return to. All that mechanical stuff can methodically be checked off and eliminated. Same with the spark: if in doubt, grab plug wire #1 and ground it as you crank the engine. You'll either see a spark, feel the jolt through your body or get nothing.
Ok so new info, pulled the distributor rolled over by hand and have so loud hissing from distributor whole in the crankcase
Compression going past rings. Still should try to start. I see only one bolt holding front of carb to manifold. Asking for a leak.
Not to sound like a sarcastic ***hole, but is the carb bolted down? From the looks of the picture's, I don't see any bolts. Or is it just my eyes? Sorry, DIYGUY beat me to it!
I had a ford years ago that wouldn't fire because the rocker arms were too tight and it bled off compression. Still had compression, but not much, and not enough to really start or run. I backed the rocker nuts off about 1/4 turn, and picked up 80 lbs of compression in each cylinder and it lit right off
Had to stare a while, mouth agape, but you guys notice anything a bit strange about the studs and rocker nut positioning?
Didn't really look before, but those nuts are sure deep! Maybe 289 short pushrods? Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Or xtra long studs? I was going to ask who set the valves last , but I think we know. Mr Ben said he changed the camshaft the other day. So, maybe he will tell us what procedure he used on the adjustment.
Ben, that really makes no sense. The solenoid should be grounded through its base, where it’s mounted. Battery cables should run from the battery to the starter relay and to the starter. The ground should run from the negative post to a solid bolt on the engine. then a ground wire should go from the engine to the frame and body. Bones
Not gonna run with no fuel line or linkage either. Maybe he just set it there to show it off. I think it's too shiny...Needs some fake patina
early 289 engines you adjusted the valves like on a small block chevy. The 302 have a shoulder and you adjust them like you would a Pontiac. He isn't doing much if any of the suggested things. If he had rigged air pressure to the spark plug holes he would of found the excess leakage past the rings. probably has the valves too tight or every lifter is collapsed.
302 heads and too short pushrods? Or possibly late 66 or 67 rail type rocker arms and balls on 302 heads? and tightened to the max?
Yes, maybe the explanation I said was confusing the starter solenoid “base” is mounted to firewall grounded through its mount, hot battery primary to side terminal on starter solenoid, starter lead to other side terminal on starter solenoid, negative battery primary ground to the intake bolt along with a ground wire from firewall
Nope the carb isn't bolted down that for certian. Its even setting crooked. And does it really look like the intake and front cover have been removed and reinstalled reciently? He stated on page 2 that he took out a erson cam and swapped in a 351 W cam?
Ok, gotcha. Ben, there are about ten different combinations of valves, rockers , push rods etc in the small block Ford arena. Some parts are not compatible. Might want to check your s. As others have said “ Som ting Wong” with so much threads showing on your studs. May or may not be your problem. Also, you mentioned your a Chevy man and this is one of your first Fords, the cylinders are numbered different that Chevies. Make sure your wires are correct. Bones
I seen sunthin else in the pictures. the firewall mounted selonid only has one terminal post. there are supposed to be two terminal post on a ford solenoid. one activates the starter. the other gives full 12 volts to the coil when cranking as it byp***es the resistor or resistance wire.
Actually, that doesn't look like a resistor wire to me . I see a resistor that's not hooked up . I've seen Ford solenoids with only one small terminal, but you're right. It should have a straight 12 v kicker for starting. It could have had a straight 12 v shot from the ignition switch, start position, depending on type used. But I don't see an extra wire for it. Now? Who knows?
I'm also seeing no vacuum advance on the dist. That holds the breaker plate in position, unless it's been backyard pinned. So much for proper timing. The whole 'compression = intake air being drawn in and compressed' and 'no vacuum/fuel flow into intake' conundrum is strange, but you also mention that you hear a big hiss with the dist removed and turning the engine over by hand. The rings will leak down, especially when not seated after attempting a start after years. That also points to some compression, enough to at least get it popping. A SBF should have at least 8.5-1 compression, unless it's a real mismatch of parts. Flatties ran on 5-1, less when worn out. I'd start with checking for what sounds like a MAJOR vacuum leak. Pull that carb and adapter plate. Also check that fitting behind the carb on the intake. It looks like it's all plugged off, but I've seen those loose, cracked and even have a big hole underneath. To confirm a basic principal, place you hand over the open carb flange, sealing it. Crank the engine over just a bit and make sure the engine IS developing vacuum. If not, the problem is below your hand. If it did try to **** your hand in, go to next paragraph. Starting with the manifold flange, make sure it's fully sealed with the first gasket. No gaps, openings or other channels allowing air in. Then check that same gasket against the bottom of the adapter. Then the adapter top to top gasket. Then the top gasket to the base of the carb. Also make sure each layer lays completely flat when in position. Ford loved to use thick gaskets to clear carb parts that hung down below the flange. Quite often, a thin gasket will cause the next component to bottom out on the part below without the gasket sealing. Fully tighten the carb down. Get a fully charged battery and make sure you can get 200-300 RPM cranking. Make sure you have oil pressure. Then worry about timing, plug wiring and getting it to fire. EDIT: I agree that the valvetrain looks 'off', but it's developing compression, and as said, Ford loved to change things up a lot. So let's worry about getting it fired, then concentrate on tuning and keeping it living. 289/302 (non H.O.) firing order http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/firing-order-ford-260-289-302.html 302 H.O./351W firing order http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/firing-order-ford-302-351.html 4 cylinders are swapped. It will 'pop' with the wrong order, but does NOT like to run. A V8 Maverick with a 302 (really a H.O.) taught me that. At least you have some room to work in! Once you do get it running, stop and make sure to check that valvetrain carefully so it does not self-destruct and put you back to a really dead engine.
I'm with old wolf on this one. And why would you bother hooking up the heater hoses and ****. It is wired for the 351 firing order though.
Rockers...... Are the pivots missing under the nuts?? That would splain a lot Lucy. I said this in another thread, SBFs had 2 main rocker designs. Early conventional style 1962-1978. Of these conventional or “adjustable” types were the standard.....’62-67 and Rail ‘68-78. Both rail and non rail are conventional stud-nut and pivot design. Basically there’s absolute no difference in 289/302/351 rocker design *(other than how the pushrod was located) until 1979. In 1979.... The rocker design was changed to the multi piece Fulcrum/pairs that used bolts instead of studs. This design has pairs of rockers on a track with a bolt that goes through a fulcrum to retain the rocker. This design is truly non adjustable. * Early 289 heads through 1966 used a tight slot through the casting to locate the pushrods. The pushrods were hardened. By ‘67 The pushrod was located by the #Rail rocker and the tight slot through the head casting was now an oval. Early 289 non rail rockers can be used on a later head but you have to use guide plates as the rockers have no retention other than the socket. # Off course both designs have a socket for the push rod but the tight slots on early heads and rail rockers on the later conventional heads hold the pushrod in place if it comes out of the rocker socket.
Ok I read most of this and looked at the photos . The carb is not bolted down , why ? On the rear of the carb dead center is a 1/4 NPT threaded hole . Did you or is the hole plugged ? There is a major issue with the rockers . I can not determine in the photos , but if you are reading compression I suppose it’s all working good enough to start . The starter relay is wired incorrectly . The wire form the battery goes nearest to the small wire and wire to the starter goes on the far terminal . The coil is just laying on the intake why is there no bracket to ground the case ? Static timing must be verified , vacuum advance arm must be connected to the breaker plate . Then as stated , intake ,compression , spark , must happen at the correct time or it ain’t a 4 stroker ( intake , compression , power and exhaust ) and it ain’t never goin to hit . This is a simple engine , if you can not get this to hit there are way more complex , issues that will drive you to drink in your build . Just my 2 cents
The coil doesn’t have to be “grounded”. The case just holds everything. I gave up on this there are now way to many unverified factors and theories floating around to make sense of it anymore. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
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