I have an '82 f-250 with a 400. just installed an eldebrock intake and holley carb on it and was running better and more power than ever before. Took it down the road the other day and a cardboard box flew out of the back. After i stopped and picked it up it would not start had to tow it home. I've got fuel and spark but it still wont start. I thought it might be the control module so i got a new one and still nothing. I'm lost please help!!!!!!!!

 

What you might try is to run a compression test. The 400 s were great for doing this and the timing chain is probably worn and it jumped time. Running retarded. The compression test will confirm this. Let us know how you make out with this, thanks.

 

i'll give it a try. i appreciate the help.

 

"jumped time"? If that happened there would be damage to the sprockets or the chain. The noise would be substantial.
Are you getting spark?

 

Another thing you can do is to remove the #1 spark plug and bring that piston up to top dead center , the TDC on the crank pulley. Make sure the piston is at the top.Then look in the dist to see where the rotor is pointing, it should be right next to the # 1 plug wire in the cap. If it jumped time it will not be at that terminal in the cap.

 

Just HOW does a sprocket driven chain magically leap off the sprocket, let the sprocket(s) rotate and then magically fall back onto the sprockets?
I have heard this JT "story" or accusation for many years. It is cottage cheese.
You have some very basic situation involving the distributor position and or spark propagation.
Regards,
Eric

 

Hi Eric !
Just to qualify what I previously stated.
I can remember at least 4 cases where the chain was so badly worn and some of them had nylon teeth on the cam gear and yes the chain did jump over the teeth of the cam gear. Are you speaking from experience or theory?

 

herm187, Something else you can check and that is the rolled pin that holds the dist gear on the dist shaft. If that pin has sheared the rotor may not be turning at all. If the oil pressure comes up when cranking, the gear may still be turning the oil pump , but the position of the rotor ill be incorrect.

 

I have seen just that happen many times when I was working in a shop. The gears are worn enough to allow the chain to slip a tooth or two.

 

wow i didn't think i'd get this much help! thanks everyone. so i pulled #1 plug got it at tdc and yep the rotor was off a ways. so i tore down the front of the engine and yeah the timing chain is pretty loose and the gears are really worn down, but after the sun went down it got pretty cold outside side so i didn't get the gears and chain off, but that was definitely the problem. oh and Hanky the pin on the distributor wasn't sheared off this time but that did happen before on this motor a few years back when the oil pump took a dump. Thanks for all the help you guys!!!