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1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Early Eighties Bullnose Ford Truck

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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 09:06 AM
  #1  
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From: Andrews
No Spark

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
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 09:18 AM
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Originally Posted by fgadsden75
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?
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 09:21 AM
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
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.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 09:27 AM
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From: Andrews
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.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 09:33 AM
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
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.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 09:34 AM
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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?
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 09:44 AM
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
yes on voltage on coil-
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 09:49 AM
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
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!
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 11:47 AM
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From: Andrews
Originally Posted by bashby
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.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 12:46 PM
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
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.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 03:38 PM
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From: Andrews
I just order a accel cap and rotor
 
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Old Aug 15, 2012 | 09:13 AM
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From: Andrews
Put the cap and rotor on and reset the timing got spark but it still won't fire up
 
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Old Aug 15, 2012 | 07:48 PM
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
SO you have good spark to the plugs. If they arent fowled with gas and it is getting fuel it must be out of time.
 
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Old Aug 15, 2012 | 09:48 PM
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From: Andrews
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
 
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Old Aug 15, 2012 | 09:49 PM
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
Sure you're on compression stroke?
 
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