Help get engine running please -- 85 Ranger

[Hoob_Wyo]

Hello,

I have a 1985 Ford Ranger 2.8 V6. It has the stock carb and all the stock emissions parts. It last ran in 2006, when it overheated and blew a head gasket. I am attempting to get it running again, and am thankful for any help.

We have recently replaced the head gaskets and intake gaskets, rebuilt the heads, rebuilt the carb, and put on new parts that include: plugs, wires, cap and rotor, thermostat, and belts. I also had a shop boil the intake manifold and we removed a lot of carbon buildup. Through this process, I have replaced the TFI with a new unit. I have replaced the ECU with a good (tested) unit.

I have spark. I am getting good gas through the carb. The timing is correct on cylinder #1. The engine will turn over but won't bark at all.

Question #1: Is there a sensor or something I need to replace that will prohibit it from starting?

Question #2: What else can I do to trouble shoot this? If I have spark on all 6 cylinders and gas in the carb, why won't it fire?

Thanks, any help or ideas are appreciated.

Matt in Wyoming

 

[ab_slack]

Sorry, no expert advice here, but some basic.

Not sure what you mean by turn-over but not bark. Bark must be one of those technical terms.

On Question #2, if you have spark and gas in the carb the questions that come to mind is if the fuel coming out of the carb and is it getting air? Are the jets working?

Did you drain all the fuel and put clean fuel in?

Did you try spraying some starting fluid in and see if it would fire with that? That could quickly pin it down to a fuel/carb problem the starting fluid does the trick.

 

[Hoob_Wyo]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, we have clean fuel in the tank. The fuel does pump to the carb, and pumping the pedal, you can watch gas squirt out and down the carb. We have tried starter fluid.

By "bark," I mean "have the engine fire." The engine hasn't fired yet. When I turn the key and engage the starter, it just cranks and cranks and cranks . . .

I just bought a code reader at lunch today and am going to see what that tells me.

Matt

 

[Mark_88]

Spark, gas, and air...all that is needed.

Can you pull the cap on the distributor and make sure the rotor is turning? I understand these engines use a gear as opposed to a belt or chain, so I would suspect that it is not so much a problem...but just to make sure you are cranking the engine and the spark is being distributed properly...

Only reason I say this is I remember reading somewhere something similar recently about the 2.8 and there was a sheered gear keyway involved...the engine wasn't actually cranking the distributor so no spark distribution.

 

[ab_slack]

With spark on all cylinders I would expect it is turning.

Matt, now again I am pretty much an amateur and the work you did already far exceeds my knowledge, so just applying some logic here, and maybe this is a zebra rather than a horse at this stage, but is it possible that the cam timing is off 180 deg( or distributor is rotated so far) that what looks like proper cylinder 1 timing is actually occurring on the exhaust stroke?

It just seems to me that no matter how bad any sensor is, that if you have spark which is anything close to proper timing, and you use starting fluid and have the plate open so that air and starting fluid can get in, that it may not run but it should show some sign that it is trying. There should be cylinders firing at least.

Your description suggests no life at all which leads me to question things like valve timing. If it were catching a little, trying to run, then I would be thinking sensor.

 

[txgocartB3000]

Have someone help you.

Have them turn the key for you while you go to the tail pipe.

Put you hand on the opening and see if you can feel the compression and suction cycles on your palm.

If you can then your valve timing is off.

Ray

 

[black_demon69]

check compression on each cylinder... if low try squirting a little oil in each cylinder.. also don't remember but if memory serves it has solid lifters and may just be out of adjustment (holding valve open when it should be closed)
if hydraulic lifters may just need to be pumped back up cranking will do this eventually.. rings could be collapsed resulting in low compression....

 

[wildbill23c]

Sitting since 2006, due to blown head gaskets, could be that the engine has lost its compression. I would take a little bit of oil and dump down each cylinder, this can help restore compression.

Your cranking but it won't fire at all so your timing must be extremely far off, I am not a person for being able to set timing, but someone else mentioned it as well and by what you describe sounds like something that could very possibly be wrong.

You have spark, air and fuel, it should at least try and start. Have you pulled spark plugs and actually checked for spark? Or just assuming it has spark? Don't ask me how I know this, but be sure the coil wire is attached to the coil LOL. If that wire gets anywhere near the steering column it loves to yank that wire off the coil.

Are all the wires correctly connected to the Distributor?

On my 84 Bronco 2 with the 2.8L V6 the choke mechanism was all screwed up on it by the previous owner, so I finally just tied the choke plate open and disconnected the automatic choke junk. Since then I've not had a starting problem. You may want to try and tie that choke plate open.

Double check and make sure you have all of your spark plug wires installed in the correct order as well, if you don't it may not start at all or if it did start it may backfire, run like crap, etc.

 

[enjr44]

Matt,
I have two suggestions.
One - do a compression test or a leak down test. However, I don't really think this is your problem. Even really low compression will usually get some reaction with starting fluid.
Two - Re-time the distributor. If it is in backwards, you will have this exact problem. And, it is a really easy mistake to make.
Ed

 

[RonD]

Yes, distributor is 180deg out.
Timing light would still show correct TDC line up but it would be the exhaust stroke TDC not the compression stroke TDC.
There are two TDCs on each one revolution of the cam(distributor) on a 4 stroke engine

 

[Hoob_Wyo]

Thank you all for the comments. Before I typed my first question, we had made sure the timing was not 180 degrees off. I won't get to work on it until the end of October at this point, so I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks again.

Matt

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Are you sure you have the firing order correct? Put your finger in the #1 plug hole and turn the crank with a wrench until you feel compression. Then line the TC mark on the damper pully the wide notch up to the pointer not the round thing that is TDC on the compression stroke on the #1 cylinder. Pull the distributor cap and the rotor should be around 11 oclock pointing at the #1 tower on the cap. Then confirm you have the firing order correct you may be 180 out.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/2_8L_Performance.shtml
1-4-2-5-3-6
I`m going to assume you have the valve lash set correct. After you put a couple hundred miles on it you will want to pull the valve covers and adjust them again with the engine cold. Do not run it with any sensors disconnected including the IAT in the air filter housing and preset the idle air needles out 3 1/2 turns preadjust. Another big vacuum leak is on the back of the egr spacer pointing back to the firewall under the brake booster hose it is easy to miss. It goes to the solenoid for the vapor cannister.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

PM me with your phone number it makes it easier to go through it real time with your head under the hood.