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'76 F100 no start with gas popping out of top of carb

resto

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Apr 28, 2014
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Location
Acworth, GA
Hey everyone, I am a mopar guy and have bought my first classic Ford Truck. She is a 76 F100 long bed with a 1978 400cu motor with Elderbrock 4bbl intake manifold and a Holley 600cfm 4bbl carb, and a '78 c6 tran with 9" rear end. It has long tube headers with dual cherry bombs. I traded an 89 Celica for this truck and I just love the body style. It needed a radiator when I first got it, and after changing the radiator I noticed I needed new head gaskets. I changed all the gaskets and fixed the leak from the heads, and now the motor turns over but will not start up. It is popping and gas and air are blowing from the top of carb. It sounds like the distributor is 180 degrees off to me. It would start before the new radiator, but I wouldn't let it run for more than ten seconds. I only did that once. After the new radiator and before I installed new Fel-Pro gaskets it still cranked up. I bought a new battery because the other battery that came with it was way to small. During the head gasket job, someone came up and got all my rocker arms out of order on the passenger side, so I put them on as best as I could remember. Since the exhaust and intake rockers are the same, I was told that they would be fine if they were in a different order. They were all torqued down. I did have to order 6 new rocker arm bolts because 6 of them were no good. The new ones came with washers, but the original ones had no washers on them. I torqued everything down to spec, but was wondering if the rocker arms may be a reason why it is acting up this way. I believe the timing needs to be rotated 180 degrees and was wondering if anyone of you Ford guys had any tricks up your sleeve to diagnose and any easy ways to set the timing back. Also, before the head gasket replacement I was having coolant leaking from my oil pan. After the new gaskets, I filled the radiator with only water in case there was still any problems, and there is still water leaking from the oil pan. I ordered new oil pan gaskets thinking that was why it was leaking, but haven't replaced them yet. I just dont understand why it would still be getting in the oil pan after doing a succesfull head gasket, intake gasket, valley pan,and exhaust manifold gasket replacement. Like I've said, this is my first classic Ford and can use all the pointers I can get. I really appreciate any and all responses. I'm ready to get this sexy hot rod on the road. I will post some pictures up soon. If I left out any important information please let me know. I could really use some advise from anyone that is familiar with these Ford 400cu motors. Thank you all very, very much. I will be out there today hoping to get it on the road this evening. -Jeremy
 
If you have water leaking from the oil pan or into it changing the oil pan gaskets will not solve your problem. Drain the radiator and disconnect it and all heater hoses. Cap of all radiator hose connection on engine. Attach a garden hose fitting to the lowest heater hose leaving the highest hose connection open fill the engine back up with water using normal house hold water pressure till water flows out of it. Shut the water of at this point and cap the opening. It is very important you disconnect the radiator and heater core doing this test or you could damage then. Turn the water back on and check for source of water leak. You will probably have to take the valve covers off and definitely remove all oil from oil pan, leave plug out. If you can not see an internal water leak this way looking into the engine threw the oil opening in the heads with a light and water is still coming out the oil pan drain hole then take the pan off and check from the bottom. On the ignition problem if you did not pull the distributor and there was no need to the spark plug wires are probably on wrong. If you are truly get water in the oil pan getting the engine to run would be the last thing I would worry about.
 
If you have water leaking from the oil pan or into it changing the oil pan gaskets will not solve your problem. Drain the radiator and disconnect it and all heater hoses. Cap of all radiator hose connection on engine. Attach a garden hose fitting to the lowest heater hose leaving the highest hose connection open fill the engine back up with water using normal house hold water pressure till water flows out of it. Shut the water of at this point and cap the opening. It is very important you disconnect the radiator and heater core doing this test or you could damage then. Turn the water back on and check for source of water leak. You will probably have to take the valve covers off and definitely remove all oil from oil pan, leave plug out. If you can not see an internal water leak this way looking into the engine threw the oil opening in the heads with a light and water is still coming out the oil pan drain hole then take the pan off and check from the bottom. On the ignition problem if you did not pull the distributor and there was no need to the spark plug wires are probably on wrong. If you are truly get water in the oil pan getting the engine to run would be the last thing I would worry about.

Hey 7mopar, thanks for the advice.

Sorry if it was confusing, it was posted from my not-so-smart phone. I knew the oil pan gaskets wouldn't fix the water in engine problem, but since I already have the new ones and I did the others I was going to anyway. Is that your diagnosing technique? It was doing the same leak from the oil pan before I replaced the head gaskets, then i pulled the oil drain plug and drained all oil trying to get all the water/coolant out of bottom. Oh, the spark plugs are in the perfect order. They are new and the firing order is correct. I did remove the distributor because I just got the truck not too long ago and like to make sure and check everything before taking her out. I had set the dist exactly how it was. The previous owner was an airplane builder and said he rebuilt this motor right before I got it from him, but there is no way. He traded it because he just gave it a paint job with a cheap single stage paint from summit racing and didn't like the way it turned out. The bed has been removed from the frame and the frame has been powder coated. I will def try that out btw.

If anyone happens to be extremely familiar with this Ford 400cu motor and know some more, I'd love to hear everything. I am ready to drive this torque monster to the next swap meet here in GA. If anyone is located near Acworth Ga, I would love to hear from you. I love meeting classic car lovers and builders in my area. I need to get this water out, so I am going to drop the oil pan. I wish I had just pulled the motor and put it on the stand before I started the head gaskets. This would all be so much easier. Does anyone know a common problem that would cause these motors to leak water to the oil pan? The head gasket job was a successful repair so I know there is no water getting in that way. Thanks- Jeremy
 
Jeremy

I use to test all engines bought to rebuild this way. Normally your 400 should run about 15 psi coolant pressure. if it is going to leak or is leaking 40 psi should shoot a stream of water that should not be hard to find. I suspect there is possibly a crack in the block or head castings somewhere. Did your old head gasket show any sign of a water leak? Bought a leak down tester a few years ago and adapted a fitting to screw into a water jacket plug and now air pressure check to 90 psi.. You definitely want to disconnect heater cores and radiator or they will blow apart.
 
Before I changed the head gaskets, water was coming directly from where head meets block, especially on driver side. The gaskets were def cracked. After the repair, the leak fixed everywhere except from the oil pan right above the passenger side motor mount. I am going to do this method of checking today and will let you know how it turns out. I really appreciate you're help with this.
 
Before I changed the head gaskets, water was coming directly from where head meets block, especially on driver side. The gaskets were def cracked. After the repair, the leak fixed everywhere except from the oil pan right above the passenger side motor mount. I am going to do this method of checking today and will let you know how it turns out. I really appreciate you're help with this.
Well, technically below the mounts, but I figure everyone understands what I was saying. Above where they are mounted. lol
 
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