the bump wont start

[1971ford]

so my dad was going to take the 71 to work since one of the cars is in the shop. but it wouldnt start its got a 429 that runs good, and when we drove it around the offroad trails last weekend it started alot better than it ever did (because i replaced the cables) and it would continue to start on demand, even after it was dunked in puddles (maybe water hadnt settled into my ignition yet?)

when you turn the key the starter cranks over and over and the engine would (sounds like) fire off one piston every other second. after checking under the hood and then cranking it again i didnt get that one pop every other second.
i checked out fuel delivery since that is always the problem, but the clear fuel filter is as filled as ive ever seen it. the engine could of gotten flooded but still doesnt explain this morning and after continuous cranking.

sooo its ignition right?

i dont know much about engines let alone ignition. but i know ignition has to do with electricity and electricity doesnt like water. and the engine is covered in mud water (from driving through big puddles on a trail, never had time to clean the engine compartment).

besides the mudwater covering the engine, i have also replaced the battery cables a couple days ago with fatter cables.

i was planning on starting the roll cage this weekend, no can-do if this thing doesnt get running

[BobbyFord]

Pop the dist cap and see if you got condensation in the cap.

[fireguywtc]

DId you pull the distributor cap to check for any moisture?

[fireguywtc]

Dang, beat me while I was typing

[1971ford]

i popped the cap to look for water and couldnt find anything.

[fireguywtc]

coil wire and all grounds would be the next thing I would check.

[BobbyFord]

Unplug one of the plug wires, stick yer finger in the cap and have someone crank it over. If it hurts, you got spark.
Seriously, check for spark, also check and see that the ignition rotor is spinning when cranking. Look down the carb and hit the gas, see if you got squirts. If it's in time and you got gas and spark, it should run.

[1971ford]

i just went out and rechecked the cap for moisture, and jiggeled all the grounds and wires and got nothing.

ill wait for my dad to get home so we can check for spark.

[sideoilerfe]

Spray the inside of the distributor cap with WD-40. Then pop off the wires from the cap and spray WD-40 in each hole and see what happens. WD-40 is Water Displacement. If you have any moisture in the cap it doesn't like to start. Check the rotor, points and condenser too.

[1971ford]

dad fixed it , just dont ask how because that is unknown
we went out their and i started cranking it and then it fires up. starts right up now.

im guessing it was too cold for it in the morning and then he flooded it and after so much cranking its happy again. thats my theory. but its still weird because right as my dad got out he started it up and it ran for 5 minutes before it died and did this.

[fordman]

Unplug one of the plug wires, stick yer finger in the cap and have someone crank it over. If it hurts, you got spark. :

back when the old timing lights was all there was to use. before the induction type. my dad used to put a ice pick in the rubber boot on number one in the top of the dist. anyway he disconnected the timing light from the ice pick while it was running. it had a rubber grip on the clip. well i reached over and grabbed the ice pick. ouch that hurt.

im guessing it was too cold for it in the morning

Too cold in california?

[BobbyFord]

back when the old timing lights was all there was to use. before the induction type. my dad used to put a ice pick in the rubber boot on number one in the top of the dist. anyway he disconnected the timing light from the ice pick while it was running. it had a rubber grip on the clip. well i reached over and grabbed the ice pick. ouch that hurt.

I'll tell you what, you don't wanna get zapped by one of the new D.I.S. ignitions
I got nipped by one of 'em they're nothing like points. OUCH

[1971ford]

im guessing it was too cold for it in the morning

Too cold in california?[/quote]
yeah it was a freezing 40 degrees. it actually dropped to 30 degrees a couple weeks ago. ive never experience scraping ice off a windsheild before that and the grass was all crunchy and stuff

[fordman]

crunchy and stuff.

[SteveC]

if it was hard to start cold maybe check your choke.... i know that my nice chrome air cleaner is worthless when its cold ... i stuck the factory one back on with the heat tube for it and it starts a lot better when cold outside even down into the teens and runs a LOT better.