427R won't start

[Marotte]

I haven't been using my Superformance w/ Roush 427R since a while recently, and can't have it to start.

Battery is fully charged, air filter is clean. It's cranking. I can even hear the engine puffing a couple of times, but then it smells flooded.

When it's running, it's running perfectly. True bliss But that was a few week ago...

Any idea what else should I check?

[olddog]

Do you have spark?

Assuming you have spark: Procedure to start flooded engine. Hold accelerator pedal to the floor. Press it down once. Do not release and press it back down, because each time it pumps more fuel in. Just hold it down, even if you stop cranking for a while. When the engine fires up be ready to back off the throttle, so you do not over-rev the engine. That (too many rpm) can destroy the engine. Letting off the throttle to quickly, before engine clears may let it die. I typically shoot for 2000 rpm, until the engine smooths out. No need to rev high.

[PANAVIA]

agreed - engines are pretty simple - and MSDs can go kaput. -- check for spark, fuel.

[mln385]

Basics of engine are (Fuel- air -spark) do you have all three?

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by PANAVIA

agreed - engines are pretty simple - and MSDs can go kaput. -- check for spark, fuel.

My MSD went out. At first I thought it was the coil but I swapped it and it was still no spark (note, you can't use a traditional coil short with the MSD - follow their instructions to test for spark.)

[1795]

I had a similar problem and my MSD had gone bad and needed to be replaced. I agree with the prior posts, verify that you have spark, take off the air cleaner and then pull on the throttle and look for gas squirting out, look for obstructions such as spider webs, etc. ( I would also suggest looking at the wires from the ignition module to the coil and distributor to make sure that they have not been chewed), pull the distributor cap and see what it looks like. Check all electrical connections to make sure that they are tight, check the ground for the MSD.

[SwiftDB4]

How old is the gas? If several months old it can be hard to start.

[Marotte]

Gas is new.

Pardon the really stupid question, but... what's the best method to check for spark on the 427R?

[madmaxx]

pull the coil wire of the dist cap and hold next to a bolt and crank the engine. you should see a huge spark or take a plug out and hook it up to the spark plug wire hold plug close to cylinder head bolt and you should see a spark

Another item to check is the MSD dist cap. 99% of the time when installed the rotor tab is not bent up hard enought to touch the carbon button in the cap, over time the jumping spark erodes the botton flat and the cap needs replaced. Bend the tab up so it touches the button and the cap will last forever.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Originally Posted by Marotte

Gas is new.

Pardon the really stupid question, but... what's the best method to check for spark on the 427R?

Not a stupid question at all, simple answer is take off one spark plug wire,one of the front one's is the easiest to get to,then have a friend or your wife stick their little finger in the spark plug boot while you crank the engine,if your engine is firing, you WILL know immediately......

David

[twobjshelbys]

MSD "test for spark" instruction:

MSD Ignition

[twobjshelbys]

duplicate

[jhv48]

[quote=DAVID GAGNARD;1315597]Not a stupid question at all, simple answer is take off one spark plug wire,one of the front one's is the easiest to get to,then have a friend or your wife stick their little finger in the spark plug boot while you crank the engine,if your engine is firing, you WILL know immediately......

David[/

It's easier this way: have your wife or a close friend sit in the drivers seat. Pull the plug wire off of any spark plug, wet your finger and stick it into the plug connector. Now have your wife/friend try to start the car.
If you wake up lying on the garage floor in a puddle of your own piss and have a large bump on your head, you've got spark.

[Marotte]

Thanks for the suggestion, will try all that this week-end.

[jhv48]

You know a couple of us were just kidding, right?

[Seagull81]

There is a pen looking device you can get at the parts store that you lay the tip against the plug wire and it lights if there is spark. Pretty cheap. I keep it in the the car for troubleshooting on the road.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Originally Posted by jhv48

You know a couple of us were just kidding, right?

I wasn't...........

David

[Marotte]

The "stick their little finger in the spark plug boot [...] if your engine is firing, you WILL know immediately" should work. I'm just wondering which "friend" I should invite!