Please help me start my Ford 460!!

[OliverM5]

Here's how it went down: I was hauling ass (at close to WOT) for a few minutes and my gas tank pretty much at zero.....then I decided to shut the boat down and float for a while....when I tried to restart the boat, it cranked a few times, but refused to start. I did this a few times until the battery no longer had enough power to turn the motor over.
The next day, I filled the gas tanks and bought some jumper cables....I tried squirting a little gas into the carbs, using the cables, etc....the engine would basically just barely crank over a few times (even with jumper cables on), but refused to start.....
I'm going out to Havasu tomorrow and wanted some suggestions on how to get this thing started again and/or troubleshoot. Thanks in advance!

[USMCpfc04]

hey just a suggestion, you might want to check out your distributor, maybe your rotor or some points, check you coil, and make sure that there is fuel pressure, that would just be my few cents

[Keithb87]

If you ran the Battery completly dead, you may need to pull it and have a HEAVY Charge put on it ..
If you don't have enough juice to crank the motor, you most likely won't have enough juice to run the ignition till the Alt takes over. :idea:

[Some Kind Of Monster]

Check to see if you have a spark!

[moneysucker]

Pull the plugs. it may be hydrauliced. Check spark. Check that fuel is getting to the carbs. Dead time it may be out of time and backing up on the starter. Check that the valves are working. Test the battery. Buy a high torque starter. I would go in that order Let us know how that works.

[Challenged Pimp]

Sounds to me like you bought some el cheapo jumper cables that are probably like 10 guage. Which wouldn't allow enough current flow to crank over a bigblock. Use a thicker jumper cable, or just try a different battery all together. Good chance you may have killed the cells in that battery......
Oh and like Moneysucker said, it may be hydrauliced with gas, happened to a friend of mine just recently. Pop the plugs out and check it out....

[moneysucker]

Battery charger. Check battery connections.

[Hallett19]

How does your starter sound ? you could have burned it out. Realisticly, nothing you did could cause the motor not to just up and die. The starter might be turning to slow to get it going, if you have cables on, it should start just fine if nothing else is wrong. Try shooting starting fluid in to get it to fire. Check your plugs, make sure you are getting spark to them, make sure you arent flooding the motor as well. If you are getting spark and fuel, the only thing that will keep you from starting is timing. You should be fine unless something broke while you were cruising. :cool:

[HalletDave]

Battery charger. Check battery connections.
I would go with what moneysucker suggested.
Make sure you have a fully charged battery with clean connections then go from there. Pull the distributor cap and check out the distributor, check to make sure you have spark to the plugs. Make sure fuel is getting to the carb.
Check the basic stuff before going ballistic. :D

[1978 Rogers]

The relay on my starter is mounted on the bottom of my back motor mount. The threads are stripped and I'm to lazy to re-tap the holes. When it comes loose, it doesn't ground itself. It makes my starter work intermitently. I thought my starter crapped on me once until I tighten the little screws holding it to the frame. It's still on my "to fix list". :jawdrop:

[moneysucker]

My theory is start with the easy fixes first then move into the expensive stuff. My brother had the pin on his distributer gear shear off and would allow the gear to move and fall out of time. This could be a problem also. F***ing Fords. JK Hope you get it.

[Hallett19]

where is the peanut gallery today ??? no "oh, I think the problem is circled for you" or "sink it and buy something with a BBC" or "maybe its because its a Ford" or "use that motor as an anchor and get a bbc" ??? its only a matter of time with you clowns..... :D

[USMCpfc04]

Hallet19 i have to agree with you, i get that all the time from these chevy boys.

[Squirtin Thunder]

If you need help I could come down Friday afternoon or Sat morning and give you a hand.
928-704-1158
Jim

[b's sanger]

I would also have to say check to see if you hydro'd the cylinders after shutting it down. Also I sheared my distributer gear pin also, threw everything out of wack.

[Squirtcha?]

My brother had the pin on his distributer gear shear off and would allow the gear to move and fall out of time. This could be a problem also. F***ing Fords. JK Hope you get it.
Yeah, that could never happen to a Chevy or Olds eh? JK back

[HalletDave]

where is the peanut gallery today ??? no "oh, I think the problem is circled for you" or "sink it and buy something with a BBC" or "maybe its because its a Ford" or "use that motor as an anchor and get a bbc" ??? its only a matter of time with you clowns..... :D
Hallett19,
You will never get that type of response from me and I have a 454 BBC in the ole Hallett. :D

[Squirtin Thunder]

I have sheerd many Dist. gear rolepins. Usually after a hard run. I have had Mallory rebuild the dist and install there larger rolepin. And then you can hold it wide open for 50 miles. Unless your oil pump locks up.
What was that Cheep Heep??? I hear Valves rattling.
Jim

[Hallett19]

I'd say he took care of the problem...... no where to be found !

[Squirtcha?]

Good job fellas. Another long distance repair facilitated. :hammer2:

[OliverM5]

I'd say he took care of the problem...... no where to be found !
THanks for all the suggestions guys...I've printed this thread out and will take the ideas with me to Havasu tomorrow morning!!

[Cas]

I'm with moneysucker on this one. I wouldn't touch the key without pulling the plugs first. If there's water in the cylinders, you may have gotten lucky to this point, no damage.....yet.