[DeJaVu]

As a lot of people who remember me from way back know, i had a zex kit on my taurus. I was dumb and sprayed way way too low in the RPM range and now I had to pay for it. I ended up giving my old bull to my girlfriend. 93 Taurus GL. Well I just did a ring job on it (and one piston due to the huge hole). Well it's all back together and now it refuses to start. I believe the timing is dead on, I've doublechecked the firing order. It's getting fuel because I pulled a plug and turned it over and I could smell the gas in the cylinder. The coil has power and is sparking. I am completely stuped. Any ideas, ANYTHING would be greatly appreciated. The faster the better.

 

[Bob Gervais]

How's the compression? Did you check all connectors to make sure there's not something that was left unplugged?

 

[93 sable]

Check compression first and then check the timing with a timing light to be 100% sure. If the compression is low, squirt a little motor oil in the cylinder and check the compression again, this will help the rings seal better, especially since all the oil has been washed away with gas.

Did you get the plug wires back in the correct order?

Good luck!

 

[DeJaVu]

I will do a compression check in a few minutes here. Should have good compression but you never know right? I'll toss a timing light on it as well. I have went over every connection I can think of/find. One thing I noticed and I can't remember about is the battery light stays on when cranking. Any ideas on that?

 

[Bob Gervais]

The battery light is normal, it should stay on when cranking.

You can't check the timing with a light unless the car is running at normal engine speed though. You'll have to get the #1 piston on TDC of the compression stroke, and check to make sure the rotor is in the correct position.

 

[zeptoplix]

Yeah that is one thing that I would check as well, make sure that you did not put distributor in 180 degrees off. One small thing that might make a difference, have you reinstalled the air hose/maf/box assembly too, I know my 92 wouldn't run without it, and my SHO would not even consider it. Maybe you didn't reinstall it yet because you wanted to get it running. Im not sure, a couple things I would check. make sure the coil is working GOOD just because it has spark doesn't mean its strong enough... My old bull's coil would spark but it wasn't strong enough to jump the distance between the rotor and studs o nthe cap.

 

[DeJaVu]

Here's the latest guys. I put it at TDC, put the rotor to the number one on the cap, that's all set. New cap, rotor, plugs. Plugs are sparking but with starting fluid it still refuses to do anything. It'll turn over good, but just won't start. Compression check came out just fine. It should have spark, but if it has spark it should do something when im spraying starting fluid in that intake. Any more ideas would be more than welcome, I haven't been this stumped in quite some time.

 

[zeptoplix]

Okay but is it on the exhaust stroke or the intake stroke?

Make sure the firing order is right, I know you have probably religiously checked it, but in the end it was something like that causing it not to start.

Also do you have the air cleaner assembly reinstalled yet?

 

[fire_storm20]

Did you check to make sure that everything was grounded properly? I have had a similar problem due to poor grounding on our family's van.

--FS20 B)

 

[DeJaVu]

Here's the latest guys. The air cleaner and all that has been installed the whole time. I popped the valve covers off again and found that my dad had not properly installed two of the push rods. They were not in the lifters. They were straight and everything though. I put them in properly, and reinstalled evreything. Still no go, but at least that is one problem solved. I will go right now and check all the grounding and go over the firing order once more. Keep those ideas comming because i am almost completely out!

 

[DeJaVu]

Grounds all checked out. When i crank it the brake light comes on, is this normal?

 

[zeptoplix]

Im pretty sure the brake light should come on while you are cranking it.

The firing order is right, everything else is installed. I wonder if it is just flooded really bad? This happened on my old taurus. I took the plugs out and got everything realigned to TDC on the Intake stroke while the cylinders dried out. It was a last ditch effort because my battery was 99% dead. This was the last thing it took me to get my car runnin.

 

[DeJaVu]

Let me double check just to make sure I have this car timed properly. I took and turned the crank with a breaker bar until 0 was on the arrow. Then set the rotor in the distributer at the number one spark plug spot. Any way to know if it's on the exhaust or intake stroke? If it's at 0 on the arrow it should be correct right? I just went through and pulled all the plugs and tested them. They are all firing, that is what has me really confused. If the plugs are firing, when i spray starter fluid in the intake, it SHOULD try and start somewhat ya know?

 

[93 sable]

When my Volvo engine was flooded I unplugged the fuel injectors and cranked it over at WOT to dry out the cylinders.

Don't Ford cars automatically shut down the injectors when you try to start the car at WOT?

I'd concentrate on the firing order, maybe look at another car if you can? I had trouble figuring out the firing order in my chiltons manual. It was waaaay different from how my plugs where set up, and my car was running fine, so I didn't touch them.

 

[DeJaVu]

Wanted to add that i pulled the front valve cover and the rocker arms and valves are all working properly.

 

[zeptoplix]

Well you don't want the car to be at 0. the timing should be set at 10 degrees BTDC take the number one plug out, and turn the car over by hand, using a screwdriver I stress TURN IT OVER BY HAND if using a screwdriver, when the piston comes up to the top, the timing marks should line up at 8 degrees BTDC if not, turn it over again and this should be on the intake stroke when they line up. The take the distributor out and line it up at #1.

 

[DeJaVu]

I will definatley be checking that in the morning. I hope that is the problem. I really wanna hear and feel this thing run good again.

 

[spridget]

pull the valve cover and watch the valves to see when cylinder #1 has both valves closed. Watch their operation and you can tell when the cylinder is on the compression stroke. Set the timing when the #1 is at TDC and both #1 valves are closed.

 

[zeptoplix]

I think at this point he might be sick of removing the valve covers.. I know i was after doing it twice. The way I described was exactly the same procedure I used to set my timing from scratch (timing disturbed condition)

Good luck

 

[Jeckler]

There's only one thing I'd do different, use a soda straw instead of a screwdriver. No sense scratching anything that could cause a hot spot.
Don't use a pencil though, it could snap off in there, and you'd be in trouble.
Another thing, he still won't be sure about if it's on intake or exhaust, as he can't see if the valves are closed without pulling the cover. Aren't the timing marks on the crank pulley itself? They'd be the same at TDC no matter how many times he spins it. The cam runs half speed, so he's got a 50/50 chance of getting it.
I'd think it'd at least fire even if the timing was off by 8-10 degrees. Sounds like he might be 180 out, so I'd try turning the dizzy around 180.