Truck died on the side of the road

[steveolww]

My 69' F100 will idle fine but when i hit the gas it sounds like it just pissing into the carb. Is it time for a new carb? I need to get this thing off of the side of the road today. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[fordman]

what do you mean it sounds like it is doing that?

[steveolww]

when i give it gas it seems like its getting too much gas. It coughs, shakes and wants to die. Its my luck that the road it died on is getting repaved this weekend so i need to move it asap. I'm going over there right now and if i cant get it home the tow truck will have to do it for me

[steveolww]

The truck ran good for a couple miles but stranded me a 1/2 mile from home.

[NM5K]

If it's really rich or flooded you should be able to smell strong
gas fumes under the hood. See gas pouring out of the carb if
real bad..
But to me, it actually sounds like it's starving for fuel rather
than rich.
I'd check for gas flow to the carb. Filters, lines for the dreaded
rust rocks and sediment.
If it were real rich, it would probably run, but blow black smoke,
etc..
No giddy up and go when the pedal is mashed is usually a lack
a fuel. Might even have a bad fuel pump. BTW, many of the
pumps have filters. If it's got an aluminum can on it, there is a
filter in it. You can unscrew the can to get to it. Don't bugger up
the gasket.

[fordman]

it could be a vacuum leak instead.

[steveolww]

Ill check the vacuum before i take the carb off. I picked up a new reuild for 160$ at riebes. Its getting gas to the carb and makes a hissing noise when i give it gas

[steveolww]

got the new carb on and it didnt help. backfired a few times, heard it could be the timing?? what do you guys think?

[court1100f]

if the carb didn't help I'm jumping on the fuel starvation bandwagon man.....I'm thinking fuel pump or clogged fuel line

[Banjo]

Try to see if it'll run with the choke all the way on. If so, it's a vacuum leak and it's running way lean. If you remove the air cleaner and manually work the throttle or have someone pump it, can you see gas squirting into the carb with a really strong flashlight? True, if you changed carbs and same deal and it'll almost crank (but won't) it may have jumped time, I had an old Cougar do that going down the road one time. We rough timed it on the side of the road and got home. To rough time (if you really think it's not carb), remove #1 spark plug from head. Have someone "bump" the ignition key lightly while you hold your thumb firmly over the spark plug hole until you feel "compression". When #1 cylinder is at top dead center, you'll feel the compression stroke try to blow your thumb away from the spark plug hole to allow the pressure to escape. Likely you'll miss it the first couple times (and you'll feel the pressure go away until it works it's way back again). Takes a decent battery. When you know #1 piston is at top dead center, put spark plug back in and reattach plug wire. Pull distrib cap and ensure rotor is pointing to #1 cylinder. If it isn't, you'll have to mark where the rotor is pointing and remove your spark plug wires and start your firing order of them at wherever rotor is pointing and call that #1. Be SURE you note which direction your rotor is turning and follow THAT direction when you reinstall your plug wires into distributor cap. Leave distributor a tad loose (not too much, it should be very hard to turn by hand holding the vacuum advance unit) and have someone crank it and if it won't run, try moving distributor back and forth (to advance or retard timing) to get it cranked. That should get you home if it's jumped time. HOWEVER, if it's jumped time, it likely has timing chain stretch or busted teeth on timing gear and you'll have to go into the motor. good luck, Banjo.

[steveolww]

It will idle fine but the carb is making a hissing noise. when i give it gas it will backfire and die. at least its sitting in my drive way and not on the side of the road

[Sam I Am]

Sounds like it jumped time, they will usually backfire like that when the timing is way off.
You might try spinning the distributor WAY off while some one else cranks the starter. If you try this, be careful not to get backfired on.
If you can get it to start with the distributor one or two cylinders away from where it is supposed to be, then you'll know for sure you need to replace the timing chain. Sometimes they get too far off and they won't want to start no matter what.

The hissing and backfire is because the piston travel sequence and the cam timing sequence is now un-synchronized (if it actually has jumped time).
The valves that are supposed to be closed when the piston is coming up on the compression stroke are now open, and it's backing up the fuel/air mixture back into the intake and out the carb instead of squishing and burning it.

[fordman]

i still say vacuum leak because it will idle fine. so maybe the dist vacuum advance has gone bead. when you give it gas it dies because the advance will slightly open. try unplugging the advance and plugging off the line to it and try to run it again with out the advance hooked up.

[steveolww]

could it be a bad coil? I need to pick up a new one today any way. ill let you guys know when i figure out whats going on

[krumpelsaurusrex]

Speaking of checking time with a timing gun, is there a good tutorial on line maybe that would show us how to do this on our FE engines?
just looked up a new timing belt and they seem to go for about $100, is this going to be the average?

Looking forward to hearing the resolution to your problem steveolww.