Why will a truck not start?

Answer 1

if the engine rolls over by the starter it either has no fire or its not getting any gas. if you have a combination of gas and fire it has to at least make an atempt to fireup when you try to start it. If your truck is turning over but isn't catching, or isn't getting any fire, check your distributor cap and rotor (if you have them) to make sure there are no carbon deposits, arc tracks from pole to pole or water inside. If that is okay, check your coil wire to make sure it is functioning correctly. Take the coil wire lead NOT connected to the coil and hold it within about a half-inch away from the rocker arm cover (or other metal surface...NOT the carb.)and have someone turn the ignition over. You should see a spark arcing between the wire and the metal. If no spark... you could have a bad coil, or possibly (hopefully?) just a bad coil wire. Check all your spark plug wires and make sure they are dry...on the inside especially... and seated on the spark plugs tightly. Did you check your gas? Surprisingly, much of the time that is the only thing wrong. Unless you know for sure that the gas gauge is correct, add some more gas to make positive that you have enough. If you have water in your gas, adding more fuel will make the gas-to-water ratio better to start and run with. Lastly, there is a possibility that although the engine is turning over, there may not be enough juice in the battery to actually start the car. Try getting a jump from another truck or a vehicle with a battery that is rated at 850 or higher cranking power. Remember, everytime you try and start the engine, a bit of your battery's energy gets used up and if the engine isn't running, the battery is NOT getting recharged. Did you check your Fuel line? if your fuel line is plugged you will not revive any fuel from the tank to the carburator.Check it and see if it is plugged. Good luck!! Happy cranking!! :) Mike Morris...Muskegon, MI thats for gasoline engines above, how about diesel engines 1) if no cranks check starter an circuit/battery if cranks move to #2 2) no fuel or water in fuel or frozen if winter also if ran out of fuel, you got air in the system, need to bleed the air out of injector pump by opening injector lines...caution for pressure excede's 1,600 bar/25,000 psi, will cut your fingers like a lazer. 3) if has fuel an cranks check glow plugs are working or compression of diesel engine is to low to fire fuel. 4) machanicial parts failure of engine, eg. roots blower,turbo 5) check all fluids levels, on todays trucks have computers that will stop you from driving.