Bet no one ever heard that before. I'm really in a bind here. My 96 E250/5.8 decided not to start Friday as temps here have dropped to their coldest in 15 years. I've never had any real trouble starting this van before. Its always been reliable. It has been needing a new battery for some time but it always started so I never really had to tax the battery. That was my first assumption and I quickly resolved that issue straight off. A new NAPA Legend 75. Thought I had it. I was now cranking but still no start. I decided to check the plugs and just as I suspected. In decent shape but covered in gas. A lot of it. I was flinging it off the plugs. I also set one down on the engine and cranked it. Yes there was a spark. Gas was also spitting out the hole. I gave starting fluid a try to at some point, but to be honest, I've never in my life gotten a fuel injected engine to respond to that stuff. It did fire up a couple of times first thing that morning but just for a second. Thought I could get it eventually but here I am still no go.

So I bought a new set of plugs and again hoped I had it. Crossed my fingers and cranked it. Nothing. Just an occasional sputter. Ipulled those out and again covered in gas. I didn't hit the gas either. I have a long history with carburetors and I know FI dont need that. I cant get anyone to come and help as almost all towing companies are gone here and the ones left are all inundated with calls from everyone for no starts. Its going up to 20+ today for the next few days but I don't think that will make a difference. I don't have another vehicle anymore and my kids little Honda wont cover us both.

First off, can a fuel soaked plug ever work again? If I ask the auto parts store they will surely tell me no. I have however read that if the plug is in good shape you can just let it dry out. I can't really work on my truck here in the apartment parking lot so I cant get real involved. I have worked on trucks and cars for years out of necessity but this one has been so good I'm so out of practice. I don't understand these newer vehicles anyways.

Can anyone help me out here? Great first post, huh?

Okay no ideas? Well I have been screwing around with this thing for three days and no luck. I decided to check the timing today which is not easy to do, but if I did it right I would say the timing chain slipped 20 degrees off 0. I'm not sure but I think this is what I am seeing. I identified 1 and 6 in the distributor and then cranked it till I got it pointed at one of them and then marked the damper where I believe the pointer is at. It's a triangle point extending over the surface of the damper. Correct? I have rebuilt engines before so I aint a total newb at this but its been a long time and I havent worked on a new vehicle in forever. Anyways I turned the engine till the mark was pionted down where I could read it somewhat clearly, and My mark was about 20 degrees away from 0. Cant tell you if its before or after but I think its on the side that has more numbers extending from 0 which I think is retarded, yes? This is what I was hoping would not be the problem, but after many years of old vehicles I get the feeling this is what the problem is. I've had the chain be the culprit at some point on a good 80% of the trucks and cars that I've owned. Son of a beoch! I dont care what anybody says, its never the simplest thing.

Would advancing the distributor get it running at least? Maybe? Not advisable?