I was in here a while back with intake/exaust manifold problems. After many problems finding a close match I finally got the manifolds installed and the exaust hooked back up, just hope it all holds up, lol

I have a new problem now, the truck was hard to get started after putting it all back together and now I cannot get it to start at all.

When cranking it sounds like the cylinders are trying to fire, it makes a muffled sound, but it will never take it seems like. After letting go of the switch the motor just dies or occasionally diesels for a few seconds but it will never start and run.

I have gas and my plugs are getting fire, I have checked and rechecked all vacuum lines and electrical connections and verified that I am at least getting power where I need it and spark at the plugs.

This truck is an 86 ford that is carbuerated but it uses the TFI ignition system with the eec IV computer and all its associated sensors.

I am just keeping the truck as a trash hauler, errand runner when I need to haul something large so I really do not want to spend much more cash or time on it.

I am wondering what the possibility would be for me swapping out the tfi distributor for a points type distributor, this would eliminate a lot of sensors and completly do away with the computer. I know how to wire it and fiqure all I need is an older style coil a distributor and a ballast resistor.
My problem is getting a distributor that will fit in place of the present one, I fiqure being a common ford motor that hopefully I can drop in an older type distributor and that the gears will match up, any thought or comments would be appreciated.

I just need the truck for occasional use and this seems a lot simpler for me to do than trying to troubleshoot and replace sensors etc.....

 

Nah, points are a headache. Electronic ignition (at least GM) is 10 times more reliable and longer lasting than points.

Make sure your timing is on the money. Was the distributor marked before being taken out?

 

The distributor has not been removed, yet. I checked it by manually turning the otor over without the plugs and it points to #1 location when tinming mark comes around with piston in # 1 cylinder on compression stroke.

 

Check my post "The Basics"

Make sure you have the three elements of fuel, air, and spark. Without those three, the truck remains a dead Ford .

Do you have spark at the plugs? Fuel getting to the carburetor?

Is the gas stale?

 

You can check the timing with a timing light while cranking...it is not completely accurate but will tell you if you are close. Or, you might try advancing the spark a little and see if that helps.

Another possibility is that it is flooding. Is there a strong smell of gas?

 

Try changing the 'ignition SWITCH' (NOT the 'ignition lock cylinder'). Last year I became very good at multi-tasking while driving my 86 Taurus because my ignition key wouldn't stay on when I let go. Stuffing card board helped keep it in position 4 awhile, but after a couple of months I had to physically hold the key in place while driving (driving req:shifting, blinkers, steering, clutch, gas, brakes, and one elective of my choice (phone or whatever). I finally replaced the switch and my multi tasking days were over.

 

We all hope he isn't still having the problem as this is a 6 year old thread.

 

One can only hope...

For future ref.:

If it is truly a carbed engine as she claims, it didn't come from the factory that way, and the problem is the TFI ignition and the EEC-IV running a carb
One could switch those out for a Dura-Spark ignition and that should do it

If she is in error about the carb, and it's Fuel Injected, then a quick test of the EEC-IV computer ("pull the codes") is in order before proceeding