89 bronco II 2.9 v6 will not start

[Amiddleton]

Well in an attempt not to roll my truck off a cliff, im going to ask for help! I recently bought an 89 bronco II with a 2.9 v6. the valve covers were off of it, along with all the vaccum lines, and the distributer was out. I also noticed the egr valve assembly has been removed and a plate is bolted to the intake where it should go. the hole in the exhaust is also plugged. Anyway, I have replaced the fuel pump and filter, battery, plugs, wires, rotor cap, and rotor. i have set it to tdc using the crank marks and the old screw driver in the #1 cylinder trick.. Well... I cannot get this thing to start. it just turns over until the battery starts to die. i've pulled the #1 and #4 plugs and their both getting spark. the plugs are damp on the ends, and you can smell the fuel on them... Im at a loss and really want to hear it run. I believe it had also been sitting for a few years... any help would be appreciated!Could it be the TFI??

 

[adsm08]

OK, you are setting it to TDC, great. How are you determining that it's on the compression stroke and where are you setting the rotor?

 

[Amiddleton]

I'm putting a screw driver into the #1 cylinder spark plug hole.when it pushes out, thats the compression stroke right?..and when I'm at tdc,i set the rotor to the #1 spark plug..it doesn't even kick!...my inertia switch is showing red. Does that mean its tripped? And if so, how do I reset it?i have tried to push it in, but it doesn't move..thanks

 

[lost86broncoii]

The little button on the top resets it, if its not moving, its probably good(mine has just a little play to it but won't go down). To double check it just jump it with a small wire, but most of the time if you're pumps are pumping then your inertia switch is fine. You can always check for fuel pressure at the schrader valve.

I recently replaced my cap, rotor, plugs, and wires on my 86 ranger and it wouldn't start after that. I had redone the firing order on the cap how its supposed to be(so i thought), but the truck wouldn't start, you could smell gas on the plugs, and I was getting spark, but it would just drain the battery real quick. Well turned out the previous owned moved all the wires forward one terminal on the distributor cap, not really sure why he did this... But I simply moved them all forward one notch and the truck fired right up. Might be worth a quick check, but are you certain of the firing order?

 

[adsm08]

I'm putting a screw driver into the #1 cylinder spark plug hole.when it pushes out, thats the compression stroke right?

No, if you put a screw driver in the hole and it pops out it has hit top dead. That means nothing for compression or exhaust.

Stick your finger in the hole and bump the engine with a screw driver across the big poles of the starter relay. When your finger gets blown back out the hole that is the compression stroke.

Forget top dead. Get it to about 10* on compression and then place the rotor between the two marks that are around the 11:00 position on the stem. The plug on the TFI should be pointing almost square at the passenger side fender. The rotor has to be between the marks once the dis is fully seated and the rotor moves a bit when the stem seats in.

Assuming all else is correct and you don't get it a tooth off it SHOULD start.

 

[Amiddleton]

The little button on the top resets it, if its not moving, its probably good(mine has just a little play to it but won't go down). To double check it just jump it with a small wire, but most of the time if you're pumps are pumping then your inertia switch is fine. You can always check for fuel pressure at the schrader valve.

I recently replaced my cap, rotor, plugs, and wires on my 86 ranger and it wouldn't start after that. I had redone the firing order on the cap how its supposed to be(so i thought), but the truck wouldn't start, you could smell gas on the plugs, and I was getting spark, but it would just drain the battery real quick. Well turned out the previous owned moved all the wires forward one terminal on the distributor cap, not really sure why he did this... But I simply moved them all forward one notch and the truck fired right up. Might be worth a quick check, but are you certain of the firing order?

thank you, thats wierd that the previous owner did that, i cant think of a reason why? I've set the firing order in accordance with the chiltons manual, and the diagram from this web site..but i did notice one thing. the injector wires are not the same color as the listed injector wires from the wiring diagram in the back of the manual?..

 

[Amiddleton]

No, if you put a screw driver in the hole and it pops out it has hit top dead. That means nothing for compression or exhaust.

Stick your finger in the hole and bump the engine with a screw driver across the big poles of the starter relay. When your finger gets blown back out the hole that is the compression stroke.

Forget top dead. Get it to about 10* on compression and then place the rotor between the two marks that are around the 11:00 position on the stem. The plug on the TFI should be pointing almost square at the passenger side fender. The rotor has to be between the marks once the dis is fully seated and the rotor moves a bit when the stem seats in.

Assuming all else is correct and you don't get it a tooth off it SHOULD start.

when you say 10*, do you mean 10 degrees, and if so how can i tell when it is 10 degrees. i apologize but I do not have much experience with timing vehicles. 2 days ago i put a new tfi module on it, as well as a new cap, rotor, and plug wires. I sprayed starter fluid into the intake, and it wont even kick!.. Is there anything else it could be besides timing?..

 

[00srad600]

I just had this as one of my problems on my truck. The best way I found to time this truck is to use the marks on the bottem of the pulley there is tc then lines then 12 take a paint mark and put it 2 lines back from the 12 and line it up with the marker on the block there is a pin and then one with a hole use the pin put your mark ther then set your distributor to fire plug 1 but leave the distributor loss so you can set the time then try to start the truck if it fires skip the next step

If it didn't start and pull your cap off so you can see where it's firing then set your pull to your mark and if it is where it is if it where plug 1 would fire spin the motor all the way around it should be pointing to some other plug the pull the distbutor and set it to plug one or if it was some other place when you lined your marks and if your truck dont fire you have bigger problems


So once your truck starts get a timing light and move your distributor and line your 10 mark on the pin and your are ready

 

[Amiddleton]

alright.. i have lined everything up on the compression stroke, with the mark 2 back from the 12. it sounds closer to starting, but still nothing. the distributer would only go in with the rotor pointing at the firewall, so i rotated the distributer case to line up with the number 1 plug.. could my ignition coil being going out, and its just not sparking enough? I'm getting tired of riding my bike to work!!

 

[00srad600]

I just ran into that problem when doing mine but if you sit there and play with it it will drop in and the way you having it strate at the fire wall you will run in to the problem I just found that if you got the cap cheated that far the twist of the body will grab the cap and a twist the cap out of time like the first time when I did it but I just righted the bolt for it real tight and it busted the cap so play with it untill the rotor is pointing at the back of the heater core.

With it still not firing did you for sure get it to the compression stroke cause it will pop and kinda fire 180 off and if you think it is the coil I picked a MSD for 43 bucks at advance and pull a plug and check for spark if it's week chance the plugs wires cap and rotor first can't hurt

 

[Amiddleton]

alright.... i have done all the above, and replaced almost the entire ignition system! so yesterday i decided to check compression... I only got 5 psi in the first 3 cylinders i tested!! So I'm dropping a used motor in it next week.. thank you all for your help though..