1968 F500 Utility Truck

[dolinick]

It's Alive! Sort of.

Basically after a new battery and terminals and a new coil(not sure the old one is bad though) all I really did was
sand the points and saw a spark cross when rotating the rotor shaft. I poured gasoline in the carb and cranked it.
It sounds like it's going to start.

Question: what size bolts hold the throttle cable tower to the head. I should take a photo. The little throttle bracket that
looks like a little tower is not bolted to the engine so I have no throttle.

DSC08979 by Daniel Olinick, on Flickr

DSC08977 by Daniel Olinick, on Flickr

[hfdco4]

Great progress man! Keep posting and can't wait to see it move under it's own power.

[dolinick]

Great progress man! Keep posting and can't wait to see it move under it's own power.

Yes, I found a long bolt that fit in the valve cover and also where the throttle cable bracket goes. It was the correct thread.
It is 5/16th. Coarse thread I guess.

It's raining right now. But I was still trying to start the engine.

[hfdco4]

Progress is a good thing.

[dolinick]

Progress is a good thing.

I got it running!!!

https://youtu.be/YnM-Y75ZfW0

[dolinick]

I didn't do very much but I replaced the carburetor and it ran very poorly. Carb caught on fire and flooded I think.

Here is the first video from a day or two ago of it trying to run: https://youtu.be/srBq_VYsTA0

Today I pulled the distributor and attempted to set it to top dead center more or less. I reconnected everything but
forgot the ground on the coil. I tried cranking it but it wouldn't do anything. After I reconnected the ground wire on
the coil I cranked it again and it started and idled. after a few seconds I gave it a little throttle and when I let it off
the engine died.

So I'm pretty excited to see it's gonna run. It has been parked maybe for 8 years. The registration and inspection says
2012. The Previous owner said It had engine problems and was parked for 12 years. It was her husbands truck and
he passed away 5 years ago she said. It appears that the spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor, points and condenser were brand new
and it had never run. I should have photographed the spark plugs. They looked brand new. No oil or carbon at all. Also, the fuel
line was not attached to the carb, the valve cover bolts were missing and valve cover was loose and the throttle cable bracket was
also missing bolts when I got the truck.

p.s. Do you know anything about these trucks that have the vacuum brake booster mounted under the frame? There is a large vacuum line going from the intake manifold to underneath the truck where there appears to be the brake booster. The pedal just goes down with no resistance. I haven't looked at the master cylinder reservoir. Can or should all the brake lines be flushed out? I guess I'll have to wait until the engine is ready to run to get to the brakes.

[dolinick]

Now at least I know the distributor roll pin is sheared.

I set the timing by putting the engine at top dead center then resetting the distributor and turning it until
the points began to open and advanced it slightly. I turned the key and the engine started right up for a few seconds
and died. tried to hit the key again and it popped and sputtered. I looked at the rotor and turned it by hand.
It now turns freely all the way around. I turned the engine by hand and turned the rotor. The rotor still spins freely.

I pulled the distributor and I could easily turn the gear and take it off of the distributor.

Now do I need to check the oil pump before fixing the distributor? Can a new roll pin be installed or should I get a whole new
distributor.

Also, The last time I got the engine to run. I only was able to get it running a couple of times. I saw only a little oil
coming up through the rocker springs. After that I drained all the oil out changed the filter and put new oil in.

It could be that the roll pin shearing caused the truck to be parked years ago. Or it just sheared. I was beginning to think
the timing gear was bad. It kind of makes sense because the timing was way out when I got the truck I think. And it also moved
again after I had it running.

I would like to drive the truck into my back yard before messing around with the wheels and brakes and stuff.

[jzjames]

keep going. Lets see how it drives.

[dolinick]

keep going. Lets see how it drives.

could be interesting. there are no shocks just leaf springs in the front.
not sure about the rear. probably same. Thanks. I'll get it going eventually.

[DuckRyder]

Relating to the distributor roll pin.

If you can get all the pieces out and the gear is good just put a new one in...

Question to ask your self: “What broke the roll pin”

However, if electronic distributors are available for the 300, i’d probably just do that.

If the distributor wasn’t turning, the oil pump wasn’t turning... needless to say that needs rectified...

[hdman90]

This project is way cool. I can't wait to see it going down the road! Keep up the progress!!

[dolinick]

Relating to the distributor roll pin.

If you can get all the pieces out and the gear is good just put a new one in...

Question to ask your self: “What broke the roll pin”

However, if electronic distributors are available for the 300, i’d probably just do that.

If the distributor wasn’t turning, the oil pump wasn’t turning... needless to say that needs rectified...

just put a new distributor in or a new roll pin? I got the distributor out and the gear was still on it.
i need a new oil pump? I don't know. It looks like I could get the oil pan off. there is a lot of room under there.

I was worried the timing gear was bad. We shall see.

I actually had one of these 300 engines before and the pin sheared. They claim they are known to shear
but that doesn't mean the oil pump isn't bad. I think I remember bad oil pumps can cause the pin to shear.

The 300 was made from 1965 up to 1996.

My theory is that even though the pin was sheared the distributor was still spinning and that's how
I got the truck to run for a few minutes two or three times. Then the gear would slip and the truck
died then backfired and carb caught on fire etc... In hindsight I cranked it a lot with the timing out
and didn't know it. I thought it was the carb or points or something else.

What do you think about the brake master cylinder after the truck has been parked so long?
Are you familiar with vacuum brake boosters mounted under the frame behind the cab?

[dolinick]

This project is way cool. I can't wait to see it going down the road! Keep up the progress!!

Thank you. I am going to have to get into the brakes soon I hope. I believe there is a vacuum brake booster under the frame connected to the master cylinder by the hydraulic lines. I haven't even opened the cap on the master cylinder on the firewall yet. It's a tiny round plastic cap that twists on i guess.

Now there is some air in most of the tires. I think they have tubes. Maybe at the very least we could get new tubes.
I won't be driving the truck fast or far if and when I get it on the road. At least not at first.

[dolinick]

DSC09046 by Daniel Olinick, on Flickr

[dolinick]

DSC09004 by Daniel Olinick, on Flickr