74 2.0 LE Trouble- Backfiring & no power, New used MPS helped! Still some fine tuning needed Options

[JRust]

Okay so I flat towed the LE down to Monterey CA 2 weeks ago. Car ran great while there. When I got home it was backfiring & running like crap. It has no power & won't stay running. The only strange thing was when I hooked it back up to bring it home. I got it all hooked up & forgot it was in gear (reverse). I put my Excursion in drive & had resistence. I didn't move more than 5 ft before I stopped. I went back & took it out of gear. I also had the ebrake on which I put down too. Started the car real quick & no problems. Turned it off & headed home. When I got unhooked at home it ran like crap (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

So far I just checked all my hoses to be sure everything was on. I checked all my spark plug wires & they were as should be. I popped my distributor cap & saw nothing obviously wrong. Car doesn't want to stay running so I haven't pulled any spark plugs wires to see if it makes a difference. Just looking for some suggestions of things to check. It does have gas (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[JRust]

I don't have a spare MPS so I can't swap a new one in. I can give it the blow approach to see if it has pressure. I have some spare injectors off a 75 I can try. Easy enough to swap & wont screw anything up. I'll check the trigger points after the fuel part swaps.

I want to spend some time on my v8 though. I've got to rewire my relays. Then I just need to reinstall my interior. I've been a little stumped on how I want to do my firewall cap though. I'll rig a temporary one tommorow so I can get my interior done. I really want to drive it as it has been longer than the LE now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[Prospectfarms]

I don't have a spare MPS so I can't swap a new one in. I can give it the blow approach to see if it has pressure. I have some spare injectors off a 75 I can try. Easy enough to swap & wont screw anything up. I'll check the trigger points after the fuel part swaps.

I want to spend some time on my v8 though. I've got to rewire my relays. Then I just need to reinstall my interior. I've been a little stumped on how I want to do my firewall cap though. I'll rig a temporary one tommorow so I can get my interior done. I really want to drive it as it has been longer than the LE now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Sometimes good to take a break.

I've spent a great deal of time in Monterey, even purchased my bus there. I wonder how many members of this forum live on the MRY peninsula? I assume you were at Laguna Secca? Incredible venue.

I don't know much about type IV, but from reading about a hundred "engine trouble diagnosis" threads, your symptoms closely match distributor misalignment or bad ground. Seem to be lots of turned-around dizzy's out there. But if you are certain that after the aborted tow start, you: "Started the car real quick & no problems. Turned it off & headed home. When I got unhooked at home it ran like crap," then, as others have already said, your symptoms align with a fuel system clog or a loose ground in ignition system.

I do know that you can pull a couple of ticks of vacuum with your mouth. If you then cover the tube with your tongue and wait, it's easy to tell whether your MPS is holding Vac. Sounds kinda unsanitary but hey, I'm from Kentucky....

That's all I can add. Good luck with your cars. V8 sounds like a big project.