I recently purchased an F-250 Stock Bed which was allegedly ran three years ago before it was parked behind a barn and left for dead. The owner said it ran like a top and he had originally planned on restoring it but just never found time. I already have two F-100 so I thought this would be a good candidate for a flatbed rebuild. I trailered it home and started tinerking with it. Over a week, I had removed the spark plugs and each day gave the cylinders a little shot of Wd-40 just to get things lubed up a little. Tonite was the big moment. I installed the battery with a new mount and cables. I turned the key and the starter spun but the engine never engaged. For some reason, I put the truck in gear and sure enough, the truck moved forward in forward and reverse in reverse. A little red flag popped up, but did not engage my brain. So I removed the battery and then the starter. You have not lived until you remove the top starter bolt on a 272. As I was eating dinner, the light came on......moves in gear when you hit the starter with clutch out and transmission engaged. Now I realize the engine must have been spinning over but without the spark plugs, it just did not sound like I assumed it would sound. There was no engine noise whatsoever, just the sounds of the starter spinning. I guess tommorow is my lesson on installing the starter and trying to start the engine. Is there anything I should do to the starter before I put it back on? It appears the plug wires have never been changed so Im at least going to clean up that mess and install new wires.

Darrell Howard Whitefish, MT Outlaw 56 Ford F-100's

We've all done it. A couple of Y block builds ago I put a fresh 292 in a 55 Fairlane, put the ignition timing at TDC ready to fire, checked all my connections, fuel, compression, etc. Turned the key, and thankfully the hood was off the car and there was no air cleaner. Mt Vesuvius' inferno erupted out of the carb 10 feet in the air.

"Well now, that ain't right" I said. I turned the key again for a second or two....same result.

Puzzled I looked at everything - and then found out what I had done after someone on this forum gave a simple reminder.

The distributor spins the rotor COUNTER clockwise! Doh! Changed the spark plug wires around as I blushed and away she went, lol.

Did you check to see you had good oil pressure and oil to the top end? Since you already have all of the spark plugs out making the starter spin the motor pretty easily, it would be pretty easy to verify.

Post a photo or two when you get a chance. The new forum makes posting photos pretty easy.

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

It gets worse, When you asked if I checked the oil pressure.........I sat right there and saw the idiot light go from red to off. It never registered. I did not check it anyother way because I never realized the engine was turning over.

Darrell Howard Whitefish, MT Outlaw 56 Ford F-100's

Honesty is the funniest policy! We've all made mistakes, supposedly its how we learn. Some academic said that and I still havn't figured out what he meant. Welcome to the "Duh" club. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

put the plugs back in. Then put the plug wires back on. Then try to start it BEFORE you redo the new plug wires. lube the Starter shaft before you reinstall. good luck.

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK