Hi all,

I'm new to the forum. I have a '72 F250 Camper Special with the 360 V8.

Bought it two and a half years ago on CraigsList to help with hauling as I cleaned out my late grandmothers house (and because I was having that itch again for a vintage ride). I've sunk a fair amount of cash into it: many new seals and gaskets, all new power steering. I'm good with electronics and with carpentry, but not very experienced with engines and auto mechanics.

It was riding great yesterday, and now today it cranks and barely starts. You have to floor it to keep it going and it spews gas from near one of the exhaust manifolds. It dies as soon as you let off the gas.

Here's a link to a video of the engine as I try to start it:
http://johnpilgrim.net/FordF250/

So I have two questions:

First, any idea what's going on with the engine. Again, it was running perfectly yesterday.

Second, any recommendations for a good mechanic in San Francisco for a vintage Ford truck like this. I had one I liked in Mountain View, near my grandma's place, but I don't get down their anymore.

Thanks for your help!

John

Welcome aboars man. Glad to have you here. I can't help you with your truck but if you need any site help be sure to give me a shout.

Welcome to the site. Have you checked the spark plugs to see if theyre tight?
Also how old are the exhaust manifold gaskets?

To be honest...first I would check to make sure that all fittings and hoses are nice and tight. Also make sure there are no cracks/slices in the hose. To me, it looks like the carb isn't getting any gas add that in conjunction with the spewing, I'd definitely say something is clogged. When was the last time the carb was rebuilt? Could be as simple as a couple of hours and $30 to rebuild the carb.


BTW...welcome to the site.

ok, i wasnt able to view the videos because FF kept crashing on me, But based on where you got he cam pointed on the second video.

Theres a mechanically driven fuel pump on that side of the block behind that ps steering pump. Cant miss it most of the time there is a hard line running to the carb comming off it, connected with some rubber tubing. Held on by TWO bolts. On the top.

Check to make sure its is not leaking around the canister part on the bottom. That canister is your pumping area, It does have a sort of a rubber gasket in there, If that goes. You will be blwing fuel out of the sandwich there. A new fuel pump is 20.00 max. with gasket.

I believe theres a filter element in it to, But i cant remember. Let me see if i can find a picture of the OEM fuel pump. Check that... Replace it. if it is leaking. If not check all your lines

i cant find you a picture other than a AFTERmarket one with no can filter element on the bottom, But hear you go. Looks exactly the same except there will be a can thing on the bottom, about the size of a pop can.





That little black arm goes inside of the engine block. You wont see it.

A_G's idea sounds good. I'd look into that.

It appears to be flooding and it looks (and surely) sounds like a nice big exhaust leak. For good measure check for leaks anyway. You have an engine fire waiting to happen; on that note you need to find and fix the problem before hitting the road.

More info is needed:

a) does it stink like gas when driving?
b) black smoke out the tailpipe?
c) uber crappy gas mileage?

Notes:

**using anything other than steel tubing between a fuel pump and the carb (ie, rubber hose and clamps) is asking for a surprise in the form of fire.

where i see it, is the connections the most, To the carb and to the pump itself. ie its flexible. Now. On my 67. there was a rubber line ran from bottom of the fuel tank (connected to a hardline) and continued under the truck to the fuel pump.

Worked fine, because it doesnt run right now, ignition difficultys. and no freeze plug

Anthony good idea with the pump...but, if it appears to be getting fuel no problem to the carb...so I nixed it being a fuel pump problem...but the carb definitely doesn't seem to be getting fuel.


Bill...he said he's gotta floor it to keep it up to idle...so what makes you think it's a flooding problem?

Also...what do you have against rubber lines? Given...steel/braided lines are better, but I've run rubber lines for since I was 15, my dad's run rubber lines...and pretty sure his dad did, with ZERO catastrophic failures.

Wow that's awesome.
Take the air cleaner off and have some body crank the truck and see if there is gas puking out of the venturis..
Looks like to me you have a major flooding issue here.

UTfball68 said:

Anthony good idea with the pump...but, if it appears to be getting fuel no problem to the carb...so I nixed it being a fuel pump problem...but the carb definitely doesn't seem to be getting fuel.


Bill...he said he's gotta floor it to keep it up to idle...so what makes you think it's a flooding problem?

Also...what do you have against rubber lines? Given...steel/braided lines are better, but I've run rubber lines for since I was 15, my dad's run rubber lines...and pretty sure his dad did, with ZERO catastrophic failures.

Click to expand...

but if its puking fuel from the fuel pump, that means fuel would not be getting to the carb...

Oh yeah...re-read that now...first time I read it thought you meant puking from the carb, but it was a pump failure.

If you watch the video you can see the gas coming out of manifold how is a leaking pump going to put fuel in to the Exhaust manifold?

Looks to me like exhaust manifold leak and way too much fuel or no spark.

Maybe it's my computer...but I can't for the life of me tell where the gas is coming from.

TexasNomad said:

If you watch the video you can see the gas coming out of manifold how is a leaking pump going to put fuel in to the Exhaust manifold?

Click to expand...

if you re-read my post. I never got to watch the videos, FireFOx kept crashing when i tried.

Its comin out of the front exhaust manifold chamber on the drivers side.

uh...im not sure, to much fuel no spark and fubared gasket.

wow sounds like flooding, but it cant be if he has to hold the gas down to keep it running.

i would say a new manifold gasket, but thats a pita, expecially on a 30+ year old truck. i dont know, let me think about it a little bit, wish i coudl go out to my 67 and take a look at it...but...well. yea

It aint that hard to do on a 2wd just make sure ya soak the bolts for a day or two with wd 40 or pb blaster or somethin similar. Make sure ya get the top ones really good cause theyre open to dirt and water and get rusted worse than the bottoms.

Its a massive flooding issue it doesn't have any thing to do with the pump..
Its spraying out of the leak on the manifold..
Check the carb...