I was driving a long enjoying this amazing weather with the top off and then I heard a loud backfire pop from the tailpipe and that was it. The engine died and I can't get it to start again. Two nice guys helped me push it into a parking lot. Of course it happened in an extremely busy corner... I keep a bag of tools with me so I checked everything electrical and all is well. Pulled a plug to make sure they weren't fouled and it looked perfect. Pulled the fuel hose from the carb to check fuel and the pump is working. (there did seem to be a ton of air in the system when I pulled it off the carb/filter... maybe the gas cap is creating a vacuum?) Clear fuel pump shows it too. Points are brand new - just put them in last weekend - and look fine. Starter fluid couldn't get it to catch either. Everything is new but it's a no go. A few times it almost caught and a white puff of smoke would could out the tailpipe. It Just cranks and cranks. So, sadly I had to have it towed home.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Danny

My $ says check the timing chain. If it slipped you wont be at #1 on the dizzy at TDC.

Did you happen to change the condenser in the dizzy when you did your tuneup.If so try putting the old one back in.

If I remember right, white smoke sounds like a blown head gasket, flooding the chambers with fluid. Drain oil pan 1st to see if you have a Chocolate Mocha Grande down there, otherwise I vote timing chain.

if it's not firing up with starting fluid, then you don't have a spark..ground a plug , watch it while cranking..work your way back to the distributor..make sure the rotor is turning...good luck

Thanks for the replies! I appreciate it.

Yes, I did change the condenser when I changed the points. I don't think I have the old one as I threw it a way but I can pick up another. I'm wondering if it's the timing too. I'll know more this evening when I get home from work and can dig in a little bit.

I'll check the oil too but I'm thinking the puff of white smoke is similar to the white smoke that happens when the carb is flooded.

Thanks again!
Danny

My money is on a skipped timing chain as well.

What's the history on the motor?

A quick and easy means of establishing if the chain jumped is to pull the distributor cap and mark the approximate location of #1 along the outer ring. Then turn the motor over by hand until your timing pointer is at TDC. If it's no where close to lining up, your chain jumped.

Thanks, Frank. I'll check that tonight.

According to the past owner the engine only has about 69k miles on it. He said it's never rolled over. I have a think stack of receipts dating all the way back to the purchase of the car. It's been a CO car it's whole life and was originally in Colorado Springs before the gentlemen before me brought it Denver.

More soon...

Thanks,
Danny

Good news! It's all fixed and I just took it for a test run. When I got home I used to my spark tester and it came back negative. Traced it back and It was the ignition condenser. I stopped by advance and put a new one in and it roared back life. My tests in the parking lot yesterday were wrong I guess. Thank you all for your help!

If a moderator could please PM me I'd appreciate. I'd like to become an official member.

Thank you, guys!
Danny

Yup. We're really uptight about the membership rules.

I've been keeping up with this, but didn't have anything intelligent to say that hadn't already been suggested. I'm just happy that you got if fixed and the Bronco back on the road! Congrats, always a great feeling.

Thanks, guys! For some reason I thought we had to pay to be members. Happy to be a member here now! Hope I help someone in the future the way you guys have helped me. I appreciate it.

Thanks,
Danny

Hey Gang,

Sadly, the Bronco broke down again. It's really fighting me and I'm not sure why. It ran amazing for two or three weeks - drove it almost everyday to work - 15 miles each way. Then Sunday it made it 10 feet and died.

I checked the spark (ignition tester)- it's good. I pulled the plugs just to check them and see if they're fouled - they're not. I checked the fuel pump and it's good (the cup method by the carb while cranking the engine). I opened the carb and there is fuel in the bowl - also made sure the float and needle and seat are working - they are. Fuel filter is perfectly clear. No sign of debris in it - still i disconnected the fuel hose and tried running it out of fuel can just in case there's a clog somewhere - still a no go. If I spray some starter fluid in the carb it will fire and run until that burns off.

Thoughts? What I missing?

Thanks,
Danny

I forget do you have a fuel pressure gauge?

I had my truck run on 1 psi on a gauge, but it would vapor lock & quit very easily. Maybe you have flow, but no pressure. Just throwing ideas out.

Good luck.

Do you have a filter at the carb? Pic of carb?

I had issues with mine a while back and finally figured out that there was a small filter on the fuel inlet of the carb that I had no idea was there.

Good thought, Gunni. No, I don't have a fuel pressure gauge. What should the pressure be? I can pick up a gauge.

Eck - I put a new rebuilt motorcraft carb on the truck but it doesn't have the fuel filter attached. When I went to put the stock style on it I discovered the rebuilt carb's fuel port is bigger. So I bought a fuel inlet fitting that fits. I have a clear fuel filter before the pump.

Do you guys think that could be affecting the pressure? Should I try to find a way to get that stock style filter installed with some adapters or additional fittings?

Thanks again for the ideas, please keep them coming,
Danny

You're fuel pressure should be between 6-8 psi. May drop a little at times to 4-5 but low pressure pumps are designed to push 6-8 psi. I have an inline fuel pressure gauge with fitting you can have for $10.

I doubt that putting the standard clear filter on instead of the stock fitting filter would affect your pressure.

Where are you located?

Thanks, Eck. I'm in south eastern Centennial - the smokey hill area. I'll PM you about the inline fuel pressure gauge.

Any other thoughts on what it could be?

Thanks,
Danny

Hi Gang,

I have good news and bad news.

The good news is I got my Bronco running and have been enjoying it for the past week. Really embarrassed to say what went wrong... so I'll just say I won't let my three year old pretend to drive the truck and sit in the drivers seat where she can move levers half way between two tanks....

The bad news that today on the way home my shifter went out. My truck is still three on the tree. The shifter arm bushings are worn out and I ordered new ones to replace them. But my fear is that there's something else somewhere broken. Anything else I should look for to fix it? I can get into first and reverse but not second or third....

Thanks,
Danny

Sloppy shifter bushings, I think. Those things can make weird stuff happen.

For future reference, you can get an assortment of shift rod bushings from most parts stores. Might need to buy two packages to get both same size ones you need. But they're a couple of bucks.

Agree with Frank.

Really, the only possible fix is a ZF5.





This message brought to you by enablers 'r' us.

Thanks, guys. These are what I ordered - http://shop.broncograveyard.com/Shift-R ... aQod9LgAnw

Did I order the right parts?

Thanks,
Danny

I randomly ran into one of our members yesterday at Discount Tire in Aurora. (I was getting my wife's flat fixed.) He had his 71' Bronco. It's looking great. I picked his brain a little bit about the column and he described the symptoms of his column shifter before moving it to the floor and his thought was that it could be the shifting tube. Super nice guy.

I pulled the steering wheel off today just to see if it was the collar. Pretty crusty in there....


After pulling the turn signal off too the collar looks fine.



I'm guessing he's right and the shifting tube is broken. I think I want to keep the column shifter - anyone ever rebuild these?

Thanks,
Danny

Yes. The biggest thing I see is the upper bearing is MIA. The tube has some tabs spot welded to it on each end. They tend to break off. I've welded them back on before. You need to pull the wiring to get the tube out.

If you don't find an easy fix or spare, let me know. My friend just sent his column off and had it repaired. I can find out where, it wasn't a regular Bronco vendor. And it wasn't cheap.