Ok fellas, I bought an electronic ignition for the f600 two years ago and it ran like a dream. Last
Month after it had been sitting for a couple of weeks I went to start it and it would not fire. Tested the plugs and no spark getting there. Went and bought another electronic ignition thinking that would solve it, but nope. Went to checking all the wires again think I may have missed something and found that when I take off the electronic module it creates a little spark and knocks down the voltage to it from 12 to 7 volts. Basically it's grounding out. Not sure if I need another distributor or if it's something else. Anyone with experience in this field please help.
Thx in advance,
Greg

 

I asked a mod to move your thread to the Large Truck forum (500 and larger series trucks)...where you'll get more help than in the 1967/72 F100 and etc forum.

 

Not necessarily. He's done a modification to it in installing the electronic ignition and a lot of the guys in this forum are very up on doing mods, so there's every chance he'll get the help he needs right here. After all, this forum is for F100 and larger F-Series trucks so it's just as appropriate here as in Large Truck.

What kind of electronic ignition is it? Did you retrofit a Ford Duraspark system to it, or is it an aftermarket system like a Pertronix?

 

DuraSpark electronic ignition introduced in 1974, but not all vehicles came with it until 1976.

How many peeps in the 1973/79 and earlier forums know this, or know how many different modules were used on 1974/79's?

How many peeps know that the 1974 module is 1974 only, while the 1975 module is 1975 only?

The thing is...if one member with a 500 or larger series truck posts in the 1961/66, 1967/72, or whatever F100 and etc forum, others will follow.

So, what's the point of having the Large Truck forum?

btw: Most of the trucks in the Large Truck forum are 1979 and earlier.

 

Probably quite a few, actually. Many of us have retrofitted DS systems into our older trucks.

 

They were both pertronix ignitions from OReillys. Like I mentioned earlier, it worked for a good year and a half and now nothing.
I also replaced coil to avoid that being and issue.

 

Check that you've got 12V feeding the module. And check for power at the coil. Is the coil good? What kind of coil? Some require a full 12v and some need a resistor to reduce the voltage (stock ford needs a resistor). If you run full 12v to one that should be reduced it will burn out.

 

Are these the standard Pertronix unit, or the Ignitor II version? The standard unit can burn out if you leave power on for more than 30 seconds or so without the engine running, so that might be one possibility.

 

I have the Petronix II on there now. The original one was also a Petronix II. I replaced the coil with the se one that came off. No resistor.
Here is something I discoverd yesterday, when I leave the ignition on and remove the electronic ignition piece from the distributor the voltage comes back to 12.7 volts. When I place the module back on the distributor it arcs a bit and the voltage drops to 7 volts.
Bad Distributor?

 

Sounds like a short in the dizzy as it's going to ground.
May have to pull the breaker plate and see what is grounding
it out. How is the bushing? Any play or wobble in the shaft?
Do ya have another dizzy to try? I hate throwing parts at a
problem without knowing what the problem is. But in this case
IF you have a spare known good dizzy it may be worth a try.
That is if ya don't get it out of time changing it out and cause
more problems.

 

I would expect a certain amount of voltage drop, not sure if it should be that much. All polarities are correct, both at the Pertronix and the coil?

Here's a troubleshooting guide for the Pertronix, not sure it's much help in your situation

:Troubleshooting Tips (Ignitor)

You might shoot an email to their support division and ask if that voltage drop is normal.

And some threads relating to Pertronix problems:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...gnitor-ii.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-ignition.html

 

If you do pull and/or replace the Dizzy, mark where the rotor is pointing and the nipple on the vac advance. Like say the rotor pointing straight forward. This way you will drop a Dizzy back in on the same tooth and it will be pre-timed. It will start right up so you can check the timing to be correct.

 

Right on Jeff. Thanks for making that clear. Most times I don't.

 

Team Effort there Buddy, Team Effort!

 

After having done this a half a Zillion times it's
hard to remember as most of it is second nature.
And so easy for me to over look as I see it as everyone
already knowing it. Prolly why I was not a great shop
teacher.