96 F150 no crank, no start
I tried what you suggested and still clicking which my buddy said was from the starter. What is the wire that runs from the ignition coil across the front and goes down by the crankshaft? It's a plug on the side. I'm wondering if that's my issue.
That is probably the crank sensor. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CURRENT PROBLEM.
The next question that I am about ask is ,,,,,,,,,,,,does the engine have any oil in it?
This is out in left field, but,now I wonder if the engine is seized..
Can you turn the engine over using the alternator pulley? If the starter is good and the battery is good, and the cables are good , the starter should crank over the engine.
Before spending any more $$$, we need an answer to whether the engine can actually be rotated or not.
Please ask your wife if she heard any unusual noises from the engine before it quit running.
The next question that I am about ask is ,,,,,,,,,,,,does the engine have any oil in it?
This is out in left field, but,now I wonder if the engine is seized..
Can you turn the engine over using the alternator pulley? If the starter is good and the battery is good, and the cables are good , the starter should crank over the engine.
Before spending any more $$$, we need an answer to whether the engine can actually be rotated or not.
Please ask your wife if she heard any unusual noises from the engine before it quit running.
That's a pretty interesting story. So as I was going through trying to track down why it wouldn't start. I think I had almost the entire ignition system changed out and I was on to fuel. I had read about the oil pump causing problems. So I drained the oil, dropped the pan as much as I could and put a new oil pump in, oil pan gasket, oil filter, and oil. Also put a new distributor in. I had help and Noone marked the distributor so that's how I found out about turning the engine manually.
This gets more interesting by the minute.
There a few questions to ask and we don't like undercutting someone's efforts.
Just trying to cover the bases.
When the engine was set manually (which done correctly can come very close to using a timing light) was the normal direction of rotation considered?
When the dist was installed, was the rotor pointing to #1 plug wire tower on the cap?
Are we positive the #1 piston was on the compression stroke when aligning the timing mark with the pointer and the rotor in the dist?
Were the plug wires installed in the cap in the correct direction and in the correct firing order?
All of the above are absolutely necessary to get it to start and run.
Would you please advise if the above were followed ?
There a few questions to ask and we don't like undercutting someone's efforts.
Just trying to cover the bases.
When the engine was set manually (which done correctly can come very close to using a timing light) was the normal direction of rotation considered?
When the dist was installed, was the rotor pointing to #1 plug wire tower on the cap?
Are we positive the #1 piston was on the compression stroke when aligning the timing mark with the pointer and the rotor in the dist?
Were the plug wires installed in the cap in the correct direction and in the correct firing order?
All of the above are absolutely necessary to get it to start and run.
Would you please advise if the above were followed ?
This gets more interesting by the minute.
There a few questions to ask and we don't like undercutting someone's efforts.
Just trying to cover the bases.
When the engine was set manually (which done correctly can come very close to using a timing light) was the normal direction of rotation considered?
When the dist was installed, was the rotor pointing to #1 plug wire tower on the cap?
Are we positive the #1 piston was on the compression stroke when aligning the timing mark with the pointer and the rotor in the dist?
Were the plug wires installed in the cap in the correct direction and in the correct firing order?
All of the above are absolutely necessary to get it to start and run.
Would you please advise if the above were followed ?
There a few questions to ask and we don't like undercutting someone's efforts.
Just trying to cover the bases.
When the engine was set manually (which done correctly can come very close to using a timing light) was the normal direction of rotation considered?
When the dist was installed, was the rotor pointing to #1 plug wire tower on the cap?
Are we positive the #1 piston was on the compression stroke when aligning the timing mark with the pointer and the rotor in the dist?
Were the plug wires installed in the cap in the correct direction and in the correct firing order?
All of the above are absolutely necessary to get it to start and run.
Would you please advise if the above were followed ?
Unfortunately, when you go to line up the TDC mark on the crank pulley with the pointer there are 2 times that can take place . One is when the #1 cyl is on the compression stroke and the other time is when another cyl is on the compression stroke.
So, how do we know #1 is on the compression stroke, we remove the spark plug and feel for the air pressure in the cyl to start coming out of the spark plug hole. There is a whistle that can be inserted into the plug hole to provide a sound when the piston is coming up. Once you know that, you continue rotating the engine IN THE SAME DIRECTION UNTIL THE TDC MARK ON THE CRANK PULLEY LINES UP WITH THE POINTER ON THE TIMING GEAR/CHAIN COVER..
Now you know where the dist rotor should be pointing when dist is fully installed, at the #1 spark plug tower on the cap.
There is a correct way to set the dist so timing is on the money without a timing light, but it would take half a page to put it all down.
In reference to the firing order,
The dist rotates in one direction, and when you install the plug wires , you must follow that firing order , (1-5-3-6-2-4) starting from where you now know where #1 cyl tower on the cap is located.
Hope I answered your question, lot of wind.
So, how do we know #1 is on the compression stroke, we remove the spark plug and feel for the air pressure in the cyl to start coming out of the spark plug hole. There is a whistle that can be inserted into the plug hole to provide a sound when the piston is coming up. Once you know that, you continue rotating the engine IN THE SAME DIRECTION UNTIL THE TDC MARK ON THE CRANK PULLEY LINES UP WITH THE POINTER ON THE TIMING GEAR/CHAIN COVER..
Now you know where the dist rotor should be pointing when dist is fully installed, at the #1 spark plug tower on the cap.
There is a correct way to set the dist so timing is on the money without a timing light, but it would take half a page to put it all down.
In reference to the firing order,
The dist rotates in one direction, and when you install the plug wires , you must follow that firing order , (1-5-3-6-2-4) starting from where you now know where #1 cyl tower on the cap is located.
Hope I answered your question, lot of wind.
Last edited by hanky; Apr 25, 2022 at 02:38 PM.
I checked the distributor, plug wires, and I pretty much think I got timing good, even doing it manually. My battery was only reading at 7.4 so I am taking it back for a new one in the morning.


