Ok, I'm not usually one to ask for help, but... help!

[hysteria]

Ok, first, I'll try to keep this as short as possible.
Early Christmas morning I'm driving my truck along at ~50 mph, when it just shuts off suddenly. Throw it in neutral and try to start it again, nothing. Put it in appropriate gear for the speed and try to bump start it, nothing again.
Currently the engine cranks and sparks, but won't start.

Now I've checked a few things trying to figure this out in the mean time:

-Have spark at 3 plugs on the passenger bank of plugs (dual spark ) bad wire to blame for 4th being out
-Fuel pump comes on
-Can smell gas under hood after cranking
-Timing light shows 15deg BTDC (using passenger side #1 plug / wire)
-Timing belt is intact and appears to be tensioned correctly (only a little play)
-Moved around the ignition coils and wires and got spark on each coil plug with known working wires

Next I guess I'll be testing fuel pressure at the rail (need to get a gauge), then injectors for firing, and the compression. In the meantime I'm just at a loss for what could have failed so suddenly to cause this.

Help? Ideas?

edit: It's a 1992 SCSB 2WD w/ the 2.3l

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

your computer could have failed. but you should check fuel pressure and injector pulse first

 

[hysteria]

That actually reminded me, my girlfriends dad has a code reader he brought over to my house today and plugged in. He couldn't get it to pull any codes. I couldn't decide if that was good or bad, he didn't sound optimistic. Should that be the problem, can I replace it? and is it worth it?

other things I thought of: Will the engine run on just one set of the spark plugs (ie: 1 set of 4 plugs)? And which ignition coil is primary vs secondary? I couldn't find that info in any of my searching.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

test before replacing parts. check fuel pressure- if ok, check fuel injector pulse, if not ok check cam sensor output.. if ok. replace PCM.

what process was used to retrieve codes? the most reliable way is to short out the test connector.. i've never been able to pull codes with a scanner on these fords even when they had 4 codes stored

 

[4b316]

You say you checked the belt but did you check good to see that the marks lined up?Belt still could be tensioned and have the teeth off it in one spot.Check to make sure a rock or something didn't come up and break a wire on the crank sensor.

 

[hysteria]

test before replacing parts. check fuel pressure- if ok, check fuel injector pulse, if not ok check cam sensor output.. if ok. replace PCM.

what process was used to retrieve codes? the most reliable way is to short out the test connector.. i've never been able to pull codes with a scanner on these fords even when they had 4 codes stored

Alright, good to know. I'll try that.

edit: Does the 2.3 have a Cam Position Sensor?
editedit: Found my answer: Nope, not before 1994 or 1995. But either way, mine's a 92. I'll edit the OP to include that necessary tidbit.

You say you checked the belt but did you check good to see that the marks lined up?Belt still could be tensioned and have the teeth off it in one spot.Check to make sure a rock or something didn't come up and break a wire on the crank sensor.

If by marks you mean on the flywheel and timing belt cover, mine has degree markings on the cover. Timing light flashed on the line at 15deg BTDC using the first plug on passenger side. I'm supposed to use the primary side of plugs, but I couldn't find out which is primary. Also, from what I've read timing is supposed to be 10deg BTDC too :/

 

[Bryan22]

set the crank shaft pulley's mark at TDC on the cover's marking.
take the plug out of the timing cover, the cam sprocket has an arrow engraved in it. It should be lined up with it's mark.
if you can't see the arrow you're probably 180 off.
Rotate the crank 1 full turn and check again.

for your question about it running on 4 of the 8 plugs, the drivers side dosen't fire while cranking.

 

[hysteria]

set the crank shaft pulley's mark at TDC on the cover's marking.
take the plug out of the timing cover, the cam sprocket has an arrow engraved in it. It should be lined up with it's mark.
if you can't see the arrow you're probably 180 off.
Rotate the crank 1 full turn and check again.

for your question about it running on 4 of the 8 plugs, the drivers side dosen't fire while cranking.

Will I need to remove anything to do this?
And thanks on the plug thing.

Also, pulled codes a little bit ago when I got home from work using the MIL Method.
Got 114, 116, 114, 116 then 172 twice from the memory.
Idk why they repeat, but it looks like 114 is "IAT sensor out of range, 116 is "Engine" Coolant (ECT) sensor out of range" and 172 is "Oxygen sensor not switching - system is or was lean - single, right or rear HO2S

 

[Bryan22]

only thing you need to remove is the rubber plug in the timing cover. 116 will show up if you dont let the truck warm up before running the test. for the 114, try cleaning the IAC probably will cure it. 172 could also be because the truck isn't warmed up yet and is in closed loop still. but i'm not 100% on that one.

 

[hysteria]

Well it won't run at all at this point so warming it up is not gonna happen. :/
I'll look into the timing marks tomorrow, got the whole day off. Suggestions for any easy way get everything turned?

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

you should be looking into fuel pressure

 

[Bryan22]

put a ratchet or a breaker bar on the nut on the crank sproket and turn it. not too hard to turn. turn it the way it spins while running also. i think it's clockwise. also since the starter is working you could bump it a couple times to get it close.

Also i agree with brutus about looking into fuel pressure. saw you posted about getting a guage, i got one at harbor freight and trash for like 10 bux. had to take it apart and seal it up better, but it works fine.

 

[hysteria]

Ya I'm plannin on checkin that out today too. Gotta see about finding someplace nearby with a gauge, nearest Harbor Freight is an hours drive. And the pickup I borrowed in the meantime isn't a long range vehicle, ha.

 

[hysteria]

Alright, so when I turn the key on I can hear the fuel pump and I read somewhere that a quick and dirty way to test pressure at the rail was to push on the schrader valve. I got some gas out, but it didn't spray out, just kinda "oozed" up over the top, and left a small puddle on my garage floor.

Second, I turned the crank so that the mark is at TC on the cover and the arrow on the cam sprocket is at ~2:30 or so. I had the crank mark on TC once before and looked thru the hole and saw nothing so when it came back around and I saw nothing again, i pulled the cover back and checked.
I'm assuming the arrow I'm looking for on the cam sprocket is the one just inward of the square teeth?

edit: and the cam sprocket arrow is supposed to line up with the 2 parallel lines seen thru the hole on the cover?
edit2: Scratch that, doesn't look like my timing belt is turning with my crank pulley... hmm

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

oozed out means no pressure. check it with a gauge.. and you said the timing belt isn't turning with the crank? i could only assume the timing belt is broken