Fresh 289 into B3000 not starting

[85_Ranger4x4]

Like I asked so many others that suggested the distributor must be off one tooth.
Let's say the gear was off one tooth (which it isn't), does this really affect the starting of the engine so long as the rotor is aligned with the corresponding sparkplug (ie; #1) while the engine is on TDC on the compression stroke. If so, why ?
I know it changes the orientation of the body of the distributor in relation to the engine (so that the vacuum advance will be either left or right of the suggested location) but what else does this change. The distributor cam is in a fixed position in relation to the rotor.

As long as you can get whatever post you have set at #1 over where the rotor is setting at TDC it should start. I have mine one tooth off and the wires rotated around one off to compensate so I can get the vacuum advance to work with my Explorer (which were distributorless) front brackets.

You have fuel, you have fire and you have compression... you should have liftoff. Somebody is wacky, is the cam off a tooth from the crank?

 

[myagi]

Tried rotating to the exhaust stroke but get nothing but odd backfire through carb
Tried retarding the timing a little in this position and it does nothing at all

 

[myagi]

ok... a think a picture is worth a thousand words..... can anybody explain this ????????.... i have taken three photos of the distributor ... the first shows the position of the distributor cam on the points (highest point) ... spark occurs 5-7 degrees earlier ... second photo shows where the rotor is pointing in relation to the cap when the spark would be delivered by the coil and rotor still retreating from the tower in it's CCW rotation.
Question - will this engine run when the spark is trying to jump more than .050" or even .080" from the rotor to the distributor tower for that plug. I think it's going to have a hard time when you combine the resistance offered by the plug also gapped at .035".

(and please don't say the distributor must be off by one tooth.... it doesn't make a difference unless you are talking about cam/crank timing). Just as 85_Ranger4x4 points out, you can rotate your wires on distributor and it'll still work provided the #1 plug is lined up with rotor when crank is on TDC. It has to.

Regardless the new distributor should fix this. I'm hoping

If it doesn't, I will remove the water pump and timing cover to recheck the cam timing. I know this is the only other reason it could be even though I'm certain it was timed properly

 

[dangerranger83]

If you did order an HEI unit one, make sure that it has the proper gear on it, as in iron gear with iron camshaft and steel gear with steel camshaft. Out won't keep it from starting but will break stuff and quick. I'm running an HEI unit on mine and it's nice, but large in size and will limit what air cleaner you can run. I was a tooth off on mine and made for hell for timing but took it out enough to get it where it should be and that made life easier. I do need to go back and check everything to make sure ut is all still good.

Sent from my SGH-T499 using Tapatalk 2

 

[sparky2eh]

Ok, are you sure the distributor isn't installed 180 degrees out?
Rotate the engine to line up the timing marks on the balancer to 0 and the rotor should point at the #1 spark plug tower on the distributor cap. Very easy to put it in 180 out and it will act a ot like you are describing. Just my rambling thoughts

 

[myagi]

Ok, are you sure the distributor isn't installed 180 degrees out?
Rotate the engine to line up the timing marks on the balancer to 0 and the rotor should point at the #1 spark plug tower on the distributor cap. Very easy to put it in 180 out and it will act a ot like you are describing. Just my rambling thoughts

Well first of all. My apologies and then my thanks to everyone including Roddy and Sparky that chipped in to help me resolve the no start situation. I am a little embarassed that I wasn't able to figure this out on my own.

It seems that using the rocker/valve positions and a wire or eye in the #1 plug hole are NOT reliable methods to determine TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke.

On this cam both valves are closed well before reaching the TDC mark on either stroke. I was mistaking the rocker position to be confirmation of the compression stroke

Using a method described to me by an old FORD fanatic/backyard mechanic, I confirmed I was 180 degrees out on the distributor. At last after a lot of fiddling with the base timing I was finally able to get the engine to ignite and run on all 8 cylinders tonight.

This probably the easiest test I have ever done. It's funny that I've never heard about it before but it works like a charm.
Take #1 plug out of the engine and lay it on the intake where it has a good ground. Put your finger in the spark plug hole and have your buddy crank the engine while watching the spark. The spark should be occurring while you feel the pressure on the tip of your finger.
If its not sparking when you feel the compression your wires (or distributor if you choose) are in the wrong position. After rotating my wires on the cap (keeping same firing order) , I resolved the NO start and got the engine running but now I have other problems that need to be ironed out. (possibly a bad AOD transmission).

Thanks to all and to Tom.

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Glad to hear you got it figured out!

 

[sparky2eh]

WooHoo it lives

 

[doorgunner]

Well first of all. My apologies and then my thanks to everyone including Roddy and Sparky that chipped in to help me resolve the no start situation. I am a little embarassed that I wasn't able to figure this out on my own.

It seems that using the rocker/valve positions and a wire or eye in the #1 plug hole are NOT reliable methods to determine TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke.

On this cam both valves are closed well before reaching the TDC mark on either stroke. I was mistaking the rocker position to be confirmation of the compression stroke

Using a method described to me by an old FORD fanatic/backyard mechanic, I confirmed I was 180 degrees out on the distributor. At last after a lot of fiddling with the base timing I was finally able to get the engine to ignite and run on all 8 cylinders tonight.

This probably the easiest test I have ever done. It's funny that I've never heard about it before but it works like a charm.
Take #1 plug out of the engine and lay it on the intake where it has a good ground. Put your finger in the spark plug hole and have your buddy crank the engine while watching the spark. The spark should be occurring while you feel the pressure on the tip of your finger.
If its not sparking when you feel the compression your wires (or distributor if you choose) are in the wrong position. After rotating my wires on the cap (keeping same firing order) , I resolved the NO start and got the engine running but now I have other problems that need to be ironed out. (possibly a bad AOD transmission).

Thanks to all and to Tom.

LOL......you must be on the same meds that I'm on! Are you still sure it's not a tooth off/now that it's 180* out of 180* out of time?

Just yanking your chain.....annnnnnnnnnnnd.....the AOD is easy to rebuild...

BUT I WOULD ADJUST/TIGHTEN THE BANDS/CHANGE THE FLUID & FILTER/CHECK THE VOLTAGE GOING TO THE TRANS/MAKE SURE THE WHATCHAMACALLIT TV CABLE VALVE THAT CONNECTS TO THE THROTTLE IS NOT STUCK/ETC.

 

[myagi]

Voltage ??
Sorry but am I missing something ? I know there are connections for the reverse light and neutral switch but it's an AOD not an AEOD

Took it for a spin today and made several tweaks to the TV cable but tranny absolutely does not want to shift up to 3/4

Now it's puking fluid out the vent near the tail housing whenever you let off gas but I think that issue may be from overfilling it a little.

I have roughly 12 quarts of fluid in it now.

I'm wondering if I should start a new thread on this ????

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Hmm sorry bud but I am automatic trans illiterate. You might try a new thread but research it as much as you can first.