I am having problems with the engine starting. It will turn-over...it sputters as if it wants to start...but it won't.

I had the same problem about a month ago. After replacing the cap & rotor, sprayed some Gumout to clean the carb a bit, it ran fine.

Today, it stopped running while driving it. After about 10-minutes, it started & idled, then stopped when I applied gas. The rest of the time it will turn-over, tries to start, but won't.

I can hear the fuel pump cycling before startup and the spray from the injectors to the carb barrels is a nice "cone-shape". I can, also, see the rotor rotating and a spark coming from the wires. The spark plugs were replaced about 7-months ago by the previous owner. However, he torqued them down with, what seems ike, all the strength this guy could muster! I weigh 215 lbs and have to apply my whole weight to remove them. I'm aware that it is not necessary to torque them down that much. Oh, and the plugs look good.

I will replace the spark plug wires, this morning, but have no idea of what could be causing the engine to act this way. I would greatly appreciate any helpful troubleshooting assistance!

 

I replaced the distributor with the streetfire set up, I also have the streetfire external coil, and plug wires attatched to bosch platinum 4+ plugs. Here lately I have noticed the same problem as far as driving and it usually when I am slowing down that it cuts off. I am wondering if it might by my coil wire b/c all the other wires came pre-made minus the coil wire. and the connector is really crappy and didn't seem to have a very good connection to the coil. So i crimped it down, but it is still cutting off. So if you find anything out please let me know as to the reason of it dying for no reason.

 

Have either of you verified that your spark is properly timed? Will it start if you unplug the electrical connection to the distributor?

 

yes cal. is 6 degrees federal is 4 degrees before tdc, and yes will start with elec unplugged

 

I have had coils stop working once they get hot and then act fine once they cool down.
I have heard of fuel pumps doing the same thing. Did you pick up some bad gas maybe?
Possibly the ignition module.

 

The failed part was the ignition coil. The more I read the Haynes manual and looked around the truck, the coil was...pretty much...one of the only parts I had not replaced. After reading-up on it, it made more and more sense that this was the root-cause of failure. So, I paid $26 for a new coil, disconnected the old one, connected and grounded the new one (just to see if it would start), and it immediately started-up! After that, I stopped the engine, unbolted the bad coil, bolted the new coil to the block, and life was good...once again.

Thanks to everyone for thier input and advice! It is greatly appreciated!

 

I have replaced my coil with the msd streetfire coil, including distributor and plug wires. One time i wasn't 2 minutes from leaving my house and it shut off. I have noticed that recently it is wanting to try and die as I slow down or at a light.

 

My shop manual, for an '86 which is carbureted, suggests checking the EGR, looking for a vacuum leak, among other things but they all seem to be carburetor specific.