When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have a 81 f100 302, I was having problems with it not starting after I ran it for awhile. I thought it was vapor lock because I'm still running a mechanical fuel pump, took it to a friend after I was running and he said I was getting no spark. So I changed the ign module and the coil and still did the same thing, so I was thinking the distributor, so I bought another one and installed it truck ran really rough so I reset the timing and went back over everything and I got spark from the coil, but none to the wires. I'm stumped
I have a 81 f100 302, I was having problems with it not starting after I ran it for awhile. I thought it was vapor lock because I'm still running a mechanical fuel pump, took it to a friend after I was running and he said I was getting no spark. So I changed the ign module and the coil and still did the same thing, so I was thinking the distributor, so I bought another one and installed it truck ran really rough so I reset the timing and went back over everything and I got spark from the coil, but none to the wires. I'm stumped
If you have spark at the center terminal of the coil, not the small terminals, and none from the wires then you are losing the spark in the wire to the distributor, the distributor cap/rotor, or the spark plug wires. My bet is that you have the distributor in a tooth off and the rotor isn't pointing to the proper spark plug wire when the ignition fires. To check that, bring #1 up on TDC and check where the rotor is pointing in reference to the terminal in the cap for #1.
But, it could be that you have bad wires. Or a bad rotor. Or a bad cap. If the above shows the dizzy is clocked properly then it has to be wires, cap, or rotor. How long has it been since they were replaced?
Are you checking at the coil or coil wire? If you have a good strong spark from the coil you must have a bad coil wire or rotor not letting the spark get to the wires.
The wire are new and the cap and rotor is only a couple months old and I reset the timing tdc on compression stroke yesterday the rotor at #1 wire on distributor cap and coil was replaced same time the wires was.
New parts go bad too. I've had to replace new plug wires many times with better quality countless times. Did you buy the cheaper line of plug wires? Your new coil may be weak also.
I replaced the old with accel wires and coil, I ordered another distributor just thinking there might be a problem with the pickup. and I plan to try my old ignition module just to see if there's a problem there. and what should the voltage be on the neg side of the coil?
While cranking, hold the coil wire close to ground. Slowly move it away. How far can it throw a spark? 1/2" should be plenty. if you have that, hook it up to the dist cap, remove a plug wire from cap, then hold a grounded wire or screwdriver close to the cap terminal. You should have almost the same strength spark.
If any of the tests shock you, let go real fast!
While cranking, hold the coil wire close to ground. Slowly move it away. How far can it throw a spark? 1/2" should be plenty. if you have that, hook it up to the dist cap, remove a plug wire from cap, then hold a grounded wire or screwdriver close to the cap terminal. You should have almost the same strength spark.
If any of the tests shock you, let go real fast!
I got spark to the plugs now put the old ign module and a different distributor. On the coil when cranking it does the positive side suppose to blink or the neg, cause the positive side is blinking and the negative side is staying lite. And I'm not getting a 12v reading on either side.
It can't be lighting the test light AND not have voltage. As far as the positive blinking maybe you have the coil hooked up backwards. Doesn't really matter at this point, you have spark to the plugs so it should start.
If I turn the vacuum advance all the way toward the water neck on the intake manifold, it fires up then dies. I'm going to check the plugs tomorrow. But the crazy thing is I can set it tdc and rotor at #1 wire on cap and it just turns over. Thinking about setting the timing 20 deg btc