Will not start

1987 FORD BRONCO
77,011 MILES • 4.9L • V8 • 4WD • AUTOMATIC
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WYATT BRADDOCK
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Okay, so me and my dad have the vehicle listed above that's a 302 fuel injection. we've had it for years and are now starting to work on it. we've changed the fuel pump, tank, in-line filter, and relay but it still won't crank. It tries to catch and crank but just can't get there and the injectors are getting fuel but we don't know what to do next. Please help if possible.
Jul 23, 2020 at 8:11 AM
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KASEKENNY
  • Experienced Mechanic
  • 18,907 POSTS
Can you clarify what exactly the engine is doing when you turn the key? Is the engine turning over but not starting or is it not turning over at all? Maybe get a video of this because that will get us on the same page as to what you are seeing.

We need three things to start the engine. Fuel, spark at the right time, and compression. Here is a video that will help with this however, we need to start with confirming fuel and spark. Remove a spark plug and hold it against the block and crank the engine and make sure there is spark. Then use starter fluid in the intake to see if the engine fires for a second or two in order to confirm a fuel issue.

https://youtu.be/dCjmRL3p4Cs

Lastly, did you put in good clean fuel if this was sitting? If not, we need to do that first and foremost. Let us know and we can go from there. Thanks
Jul 23, 2020 at 10:40 AM
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WYATT BRADDOCK
  • MEMBER
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We put clean gas in it when we changed the tank and my dad said that it's getting fuel to the rails, but it's not enough to get it to run. so there might be a clog somewhere in the injectors.
Jul 24, 2020 at 5:00 AM
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KASEKENNY
  • Experienced Mechanic
  • 18,907 POSTS
Awesome. That is most likely due to rusty injector pintle causing the fuel to go through the return and not into the cylinder. Spraying starter fluid in the intake will confirm this. If you have it at the rail and starter fluid helps it get starter just confirms it is not getting into the cylinder.

If it were me, I would just go ahead and replace the injectors if this has been sitting.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-fuel-injector
Jul 24, 2020 at 8:32 AM
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