I've been tender footed with it a couple of weeks my clutch is also going out and I was trying to get through a job before replacing it. It had been slow to turn over for a few weeks til yesterday when I cranked it it chattered like there was no oil so I turned it off waited a min then it cranked as normal then today it was missing bad on the way home then since it won't start at all?

 

Welcome to FTE.

Seeing as how this is a 3.0L Vulcan, with a noisy no oil sound on a start, has it been making a under hood squeak sound that's high up on the engine, passenger side, back close to the firewall???? I'm thinking a cam sync assy problem, as the oil pump is driven through it, so if it's failed the oil pump won't make pressure!!!!

Is this a "flex fuel" 3.0L???

Have you checked the engine oil level, checked the battery electrolyte level, state of charge, the battery cables & the condition of both cables connections on Both ends & load tested the battery???
Are you up to date on All past & present due scheduled maintenance replacement fluids, filters & parts like plugs & wires???

If you can provide some more vehicle historical info, along with the trouble shooting things you've done so far, the forum may be able to suggest where best to look next in your trouble shoot.

 

It's not flex fuel. I'm working on It today and so far from one plug It doesn't seem to be getting any fire to it. It tries to turn over but just don't crank

 

Ok, it's not a flex fuel 3.0L, that's good feedback.
I'm not clear on your turn over/don't crank terminology, are you saying the starter isn't cranking the engine at all, or not very fast, or that cranking speed is ok but the engine doesn't want to start/run????
If it's a no, or slow crank problem, look to the starter motor, battery, battery cables & their connections.
If cranking speed is ok, look to a spark, or fuel problem.

Again, on the untoward no oil engine noise when cranking, have you been hearing a under hood squeak sound I mentioned in my first reply??? If so, don't try to run the engine until you confirm the cam sync assy teeth are ok & the oil pump is being driven to make proper oil pressure, as a failure there will ruin the engine in short order. If the oil pump isn't making pressure, the oil pressure warning light & oil pressure gauge should be alerting to such.

Let us know what you find.

 

I apologize I'm a home improvement contractor by trade so I get a little frustrated risking on vehicles lol. When I turn the key it tries to turn over but doesn't almost like a vehicle out of gas. It has been doing that same thing for a about three weeks besides while I hold the key to crank position for about five seconds out would finally crank before. Then the loud chattering when I cranked it a cranked it a couple of days ago but only once that happened then finally yesterday it missing bad almost like it had jumped time and since I got home yesterday it hasn't started at all. All the fluids are good and the plugs and wires are fairly new.

 

I'm with Pawpaw sounds like camshaft sync,,, but I could be wrong,,, easy to check it,,it is on the passenger side rear of the engine and has a two or three wire sensor on top,,, remove two small bolts and the sensor will lift off ( dont drop bolts ),, and get a good look at the vain inside,,,, if it is damaged and you might try to wiggle it,,, you should replace it with a motorcraft one,,, not a autozone cheapie !!! the spinning vain sends a message to the computer via the sensor to fire the fuel injectors,,, gives the vehicle out of gas simpton you mentioned in your post and after 3 weeks of missing and running bad it finally died completely ,,, these parts had a oiling problem and usually shell out around 80,000 miles,,,or so i read somewhere,,, they sometimes sound like a squeaking belt before they fail,,, but not always ,,,, as pawpaw said it also drives the oil pump so there could be your chattering start up. its a place to start looking anyway

 

Pawpaw i just noticed his truck is a 1994,,, i though it was 95 when ford went to the DIS ( no distributor)and coil pack,,, maybe they started the DIS in late 94,,, any idea about that,,, of course the reason i ask is does it have a camshaft sync or a distributor,,, i could almost swear it was 95 when ford went DIS ( Distributorless Ignition System )

 

OOOhhhh, Good point about the year model & distributor, looks like I have put my keyboard mouth in gear before engaging my brain, or whats left of it!!!! lol You are correct, the info I have indicates the 93 & 94 3.0L had a distributor, but I don't know the date, or VIN# when the factory began delivery of the 3.0L DIS systems. Easy enough to check this puppy out, just raise the hood & look for the distributor back on the passenger side of the engine, If it doesn't have one its DIS & the cam sync assy is a good suspect. If it has a distributor, it's bearing & drive teeth are good suspects for the noise suspect list. Maybe I can kinda save some face answering that way!!!! lol

He could use his inductive timing light to safely check for spark & if none is found, the ICM would be a good suspect, as its under hood with all the engine heat & it doesn't like heat, so has a high failure rate.

If it has a distributor, then it, the rotor & internal hall effect pick up device have earned a spot on a suspect list too.

All that said, none of it addresses the untoward noise he heard when cranking the engine & that concerns me more than no spark right now.

 

Hey i did same goof,,,,,,i blamed the camshaft sync and this puppy may not have one unless they put a camshaft sync in the late 94's,,, but i would almost swear it was 95 when the DIS came out ,,, well i am like you worried about the chattering at start up,,, just have to wait on Troyjones to respond and see if it has a camshaft sync or a distributor,, i hope he does soon,,, it will answer the DIS (Distributorless Ignition System) date once and for all,,, oh and if it has a distributor it also has a carb right,,, the fuel injection came out with the DIS right ?????

 

I started yesterday from a new battery which was needed anyway but it didn't help to changing the fuel filter and it still won't crank. Best guess so far are either the distributor cap and rotary button which was very worn and dirty or the coil pack in front of it . Is there a way to run juice to the coil pack directly or bypass it anyway to test it or just a spark test?

 

Ok good feedback on replacing the old battery & fuel filter.
SO, lets think about this some more. It takes air, fuel, compression & spark to make em run, so what's going missing???

You can use your inductive timing light on any easy to get at plug, or the coil wire, to see if the coil is making high voltage to fire the plugs.

If as you say, the distributor cap & rotor are badly worn & dirty inside, it can cause a wimpy, or no spark condition, so it sounds like they are in need of replacement too. Motorcraft ignition components are recommended, as they of good quality & what I used on my 94 Taurus 3.8L when it was time to replace its plugs, wires, distributor cap & rotor, all were nice pieces of work.

Have you checked fuel pressure & volume of fuel flow??? If pressure is ok, fuel pump flow should be 1/2pt/15 seconds of fuel pump run time. PSI should be 35-45 @ KOEO & KOER with the intake manifold mounted fuel pressure regulator vacuum line Disconnected & Plugged. 25-35 psi At Idle with the fpr vacuum line Attached.
The fpr vacuum line should be dry inside, if its wet with fuel, the fpr diaphragm is leaking fuel into the vacuum line & that'll feed into the engine through the intake manifold, down stream of the MAF sensor & corrupt fuel trim.
So if the fpr diaphragm is leaking fuel into the vacuum line, also replace fuel pressure regulator. A Motorcraft fpr is recommended.

Right now it sounds like the distributor cap, rotor & maybe plugs & wires need scheduled maintenance attention. If you replace the cap & rotor, spray them inside & out with a good quality silicone spray, to help prevent electrical leakage flash over on wet rainy, or dewy days.

More thoughts for consideration, let us know what you find.

 

I would pull the distributor out,,,making sure to note or take pics of which way rotor button is pointing,,, check distributor teeth and check the shaft for wobble or play,, not only side to side but up and down too,,,, it could the the cause of your chatter at start up,,, i agree with pawpaw new button and cap ,,,wires and plugs,,,, and i guess being a 94 there are no points but a module in the distributor right ?????????? if module is bad no fire to plugs,,,, oh and i have seen coils go bad to,,, just pull coil wire out of cap and with help from friend or neighbor turn engine over and see if coil is firing

 

Right, there is a "Hall effect" sensor on the distributor shaft that senses rotation, it sends its output signal to the ICM=Ignition Control Module & the ignition control module operates the coil to make spark. As the distributor shaft rotor rotates, it mechanically distributes the spark through the rotor button to each spark plug wire attached to the distributor cap.

The hall effect workings are reliable as long as the distributor shaft bearings aren't worn out as you have said. If the shaft is wobbling badly, it'll change the sensor gap & can corrupt the ICM trigger to make spark, all a vicious circle.

The engine compartment mounted ICM is really heat sensitive & a known problem part. Ford has moved its location all around the engine compartment, looking for a cooler spot to keep it happier. On my 94 3.8L Taurus, they finally moved it out of the engine compartment, up under the passenger side fresh air intake leaf screen & it's been happy there for 22 years now. lol
From his description of how the distributor cap looked inside, being dirty & worn rotor & wire lug gap on the distributor cap, it & the rotor at least belong on the suspect list for at least a wimpy spark, maybe no spark condition from excessive rotor gap & electrical leakage from the dirty condition & maybe rotor electrical break down to the distributor shaft from heat & over voltage because of excessive cap & plug spark gaps.

Excessive gap puts extra load on the coil, as it has to generate a higher voltage to try & make spark that'll jump the rotor to cap gap & the spark plug center electrode to side wire gap, so if the plugs spark gap is way out of spec open too, it'll cause even more stress load on the coil to make a higher voltage to jump all those excessive gaps & that stresses the rotor insulation & coil secondary windings insulation, causing the insulation to fail, again all a vicious circle & all the more reason for us to follow Fords specified scheduled maintenance on replacement parts.
He can use his inductive timing light to easily & safely check the coil for spark output.

 

Hey guys I'm back with the same results as before. I've got a new distributor cap and button, coil and condenser and battery just because it needed one. I'm pretty much down to the icm but i don't have tester available

 

Ok good feedback on the new battery, distributor cap & rotor. SO, have you used your inductive timing light to safely check for spark & have you measured fuel pressure, if so post the pressure Numbers.

If the timing light indicates a no spark condition, does the distributor shaft have excessive up/down/side to side play, if so it could corrupt the hall effect pickup gap & it's output to the ICM. Be sure to check it's electrical connector & pins/sockets for looseness, corrosion, or bent pins/spread sockets that can cause intermittent problems.
Same for the ICM connections.
If you come to suspect the ICM, most auto parts stores at one time could bench test it at no cost, so call around & check to see who still has their tester in service & let us know how it goes. Hang in there on your drill down trouble shoot, your likely about to find the culprit.