Wont start

I have a 1979 Thunderbird diamond jubilee with a 351m. It was working fine, until one day I shut it off when to start it a minute later and now it wont start. The engine cranks over, but the car will just not start. I have checked for spark and that is working. I have gas. I can see and smell it. For some reason it just won’t go. Also sometimes it will sound like it is going to start but then dies right away. One time I had the engine going but it just let out a lot of black smoke was running WAY bad and then died.

sounds like a timing chain problem, easy fix if you have the time to take the front of the engine apart. just remember where everything goes. Had the same problem with my 79 cougar, trust me I have pretty much had the car apart and back together about 5 times now I could probably do it with my eyes shut. any questions email me at:

kurtdonaldkobain6794@yahoo.com

Graham

That sounds like a good possibility, but before you start taking the front cover off, you might want to check that your carb didn't get the needle stuck and start dumping fuel into the engine all the time. This would make it pour black smoke like you said. Just eliminate the simpler and easier stuff first. Then if that doesn't work, start looking at the cam timing as the problem.

Just for your information, 1978 was the only year for the Diamond Jubilee. If yours is a 1979 then it's probably a Heritage. 79's have the separate taillights and 77-78 are connected.

Another cheap thing to try is replacing the spark plugs. You may have fouled them when it was running rich.