engine issue quiz

[sacramento_ford]

i dont know where to start on this truck

so im gonna leave it to you guys where i should start first in a quiz kinda way.

drives and dies....truck starts cold just fine!if i push in choke too fast it will dies. warms up and I drive a while and it would turn off, like 747 engine would cut off. wont restart, but will if i hold down gas petal vigourously and pump away and hit it just right and it will restart. ,,, ... has new fuel pump ,wires.timing set and no fuel leaks or vacumn leaks. .

which below should i start with

CARB
ignition switch
coil starter.
battery.

[willowbilly3]

Start by trouble shooting. Assuming engine cranks well,
When it dies have your testing stuff along. First see if it has spark. You need a helper to crank it while you hold the spark plug wire and see if you get zapped. Just kidding, I use a medium sized phillips screwdriver stuck in the spark plug end of the plug wire and hold the metal part of the screwdriver very near but not touching metal while said helper cranks the engine. Observe if there is a spark.
No spark? Now take your 12 volt test light (if you don't have one then go appropriate one) and see if you have voltage at the coil + with the key on and also while same said helper cranks it over.
Test light lights up with key on but not cranking? remember the power to the coil during crank mode comes from one of the little wires on the starter solenoid over by the battery. The other little wire is the one that activates the starter when you turn the key to start.
Test light does not light up with key on, suspect ignition switch or wiring between coil and switch.

If test light does light up with key on, then put test light to coil- and have helper crank engine. Doies light blink off and on?
If not then points/electronic ignition has problem.
If it does blink off and on then we will go to fuel issues.
Always check out the ignition thoroughly before attacking the carb. Always. You may however pull the air cleaner and see if the carb squirts fuel when you pump it at any point. That would indicate fuel/no fuel condition.

[fordman]

too many threads about the same thing i can't keep up.

[SteveC]

sont forget a engine needs compression. but any who willowbillow3 and heartless hit that on dead on