BroncoII4x4.com

Just going to jump in and try to help, if you don't mind.
Hook everything up as it should be, ie., starter, starter relay, distributor, grounds, plugs, coil, etc. Leave the key off, and jump the starter relay from the Batt + side of the relay to the starter cable side of the relay, does the engine crank over? If the battery is good, connections correct and good, and the engine still doesn't crank over, you need to pull all the plugs, put 2 or 3 tablespoons of ATF in each cylinder and let it sit at least over night. Then turn the engine over by hand with a breaker bar and socket on the balancer bolt ( don't use a pipe on the breaker bar, if you break the bolt you WILL regret it). :) Work at getting it freed up before attempting to crank it with the starter, after you can turn the crank 360 degrees with the breaker bar, try cranking it again the same way as before (by jumping the relay)... only with the plugs out. After it gets to where it can spin the motor pretty good, then put the plugs in.
Another thing you should know... the casting mold numbers on the block only identify the year the block casting mold was made, it doesn't indentify the engine, only the serial number stamped on the block does that. If the valve covers you have on the engine were on the engine when you got it, the engine is out of a full size car. Both the truck 302 and the mustang 302's had different valve covers. The IMPORTANT point here is that it ISN"T a mustang engine, the mustang 5.0 HO motor has a different firing order than does the truck and the full size car engine. The HO 5.0 has the firing order of the 5.8L (351), 13726548... the truck and car 5.0 (called non-HO 302) has the same firing order as the 7.5L (460) 15426378. The lower double serpentine belt pulley on the crank also identifies this as a full size car engine, the truck 302 and the HO 302 didnt have two serpentine belts. If the water pump pulley is smooth (no serpentine belt ribs), then its a rev rotation pump and needs to be driven by the backside of the belt (smooth non-ribbed side). If its ribbed or grooved like the serpentine belt, its a standard rotation pump.
All roller cam ford engines require the bronze driven gear on the distributor, even if you aren't using the EFI, the roller cams are machined from hardened steel, hence they NEED the bronze gear on the distributor.
I hope this helps in some way...

Clint Berry
BerryBros4X4
Anderson, Alaska

My wife had a baby boy lastnight at 10:31 pm. B2 is on hold. Thanks for all the help. I'll keep you guys posted when I start again.

Congrats to you and your wife!!

You might have to change your screen name to onewonthree... :)

Congrats!! Imagine, A little onewontwo-jr running around building hopped up little wagons and such. Cheers

THEN ??????

I made an attempt to start it. It turns over slowly. I can turn it freely by hand. Starter turns fine when not installed while cranking from key. I don't know what it could be. If it would start I could wheel. The only thing is I was trying to to jump start it because it was dead. I charged the battery overnight but I still have my doubts. Any thoughts?

I didn't notice all the congrats everyone said, thank you!

all the grounds hooked up

Yes, they are.

If your thinking it's a voltage issue, take a Digital Volt meter and test the system.

If you believe it's a ground issue take the - lead of the DVM and place it on the battery post ground, then take the + lead and place it on the starter motor case. With the Meter set at a setting that will place 12Vdc in the mid range of that setting, try to start the engine. If you get a reading of anything greater than 0.75 -1.0 Vdc you have a ground issue. Same thing for the power circuit's, except the + lead goes on the battery + post an the - lead goes on where the power lead hooks up to the device.

This type of testing can be done on any electrical circuit. A Millivolt drop test can also be used to check contacts in powered up relays, but you have to know how to understand the readings you get. Most quality meters touch on this in the book that comes with them.

Things that will cause high meter shunting, connections loose, bad connections, wrong wire size, right wire size but the wiring run is to long for the size being used, vs the amp draw required.

Useing a meter properly will keep money in your pocket not the parts store.
You can use a std analog meter but you'll have to understand how to use it correctly, ie start at a mid range for the voltage you useing, then drop the ranges to where you can read it properly. Analog meters can be damaged by applying the incorrect voltage to the range it's set on, DVM's are cheap now a days.

IF the engine turns over freely by hand and all the connections are correct, clean, and tight, but the starter has a hard time cranking it over 2 things need checked. First make sure the battery is good, it needs to be charged for about 15 minutes at least (at 30 amps) and then load tested... if it tests good, you can check starter amp draw. It should take about 200 amps to crank the engine, if it takes 300+ amps, the starter needs replaced. An unloaded starter can crank easily and fast and still pull too many amps when loaded to effectually crank then engine. Any decent autoparts store can test the battery and starter if you don't have the equipment to do so yourself.
Good luck.

Clint Berry
BerryBros4x4
Anderson, Alaska

I think it may be the battery. I let it charge overnight, and I only have 10.55 volts. I don't have a meter that can handle 200 amps so I didn't check that. However when I tried to start this time all I got was a knocking noise. I'll try and get a new battery tomorrow.

onewontwo wrote:I attempted to start my 5.0 with no luck. It turns over but barely. I have 12v at the start, but it turns over like the battery is dieing. It really struggles. Any help would be great.

this started back in oct 09.

Yeah but I stopped due to my wife having a baby and I'm picking up where I left off.

you dont know anyone with a battery and some jumper cables you could use?

If you would read all of my posts I said I tried that yesterday. Not giving attitude i'm just saying. I really appreciate the help. But I did try jumping it.