(copy and pasted from another forum... basically ive been working on my brakes for the longest time and to have this new problem arise is pretty annoying. Also i'd like to add that it is normally a BIT hard to start but always starts up... this is a new problem of it not starting, or starting for only a brief moment.)

Alright so i finished my ongoing epic battle with the brakes. lovely 2 months working on them and finally they work correctly.

in this 2 month time frame, i started the truck once every couple days to keep everything tip top shape

THEN i went on vacation for 2 weeks... get back and i cant start the truck. that wasnt my main concern at the time (it was the darn brakes..) so i didnt bother charging the battery (which was low)

so tonight, after getting the brakes bled... get my dad to jump my truck. after a couple trys she starts up. WONDERFUL right? starts and then dies immediately.

Pulled out the carb cleaner and spray it over the carb

started again and then died.

tried to start... just turning over

carb cleaner again tries really hard to start but wont.



this process went on for about 30 minutes and we finally gave up... i looked in the book and it is under trouble shooting... but their are a few different variables it says could be wrong... and im pretty much broke to spend any more money 'guessing' at what the problem is.

thanks in advance for any help

-poor highschool student

 

Welcome to the forum! You haven't mentioned the model or year of your vehicle. Visually check a brake buster's vacuum line. If it's ok, try this - turn your starter on for 20 seconds several times. If it's 6-cylinder engine pull out a plug from 3 or 4 cylinder (the idea is in removing one of central plugs). If the plug is wet - you've got ignition problem, if it's dry - it's a fuel supply problem. In case of a dry plug - remove the carb's top cover and take a look into the fuel cam - there must be some fuel in there. If there's not - check your carb's needle (don't know it's correct name in English, sorry) - make sure it's moving and fuel can pass through it, and also check the fuel pump. If there'll be some fuel (1/2 or 2/3 of total cam volume - it depends), check your spark timing.
That's all i got for you. Hope guys in here will provide more help

 

Update - if the spark is wet - don't try to start the engine immideatly - there'll be a lot of gas in the exhaust. If the truck will start - you may damage it. Just leave it for a couple hours.

 

wow it was so late i assumed everyone online knew what truck I have

lol all jokes aside...

its a 1983 5.0 V8 2 wheel drive

thanks for the help

 

Yes, fuel or spark, see which one you don't have.

 

Well, just read your other thread, so you're not getting spark. Probably the ignition box, I think it's on the inner fender. This can be tested at the parts store before you buy a new one.