So, long week. I did remove the vehicle computer from the drivers side kick panel. All looked fine & had no leaking capacitors - also looked completely different inside than the examples I've seen online.
I decided to purchase test equipment for a proper diagnosis,
an HEI spark tester, test light & an LED test light. Had to put truck on hold to fix wife's Explorer.
F-150 again wont start, now both cars not working, had F150 towed to the shop, shop had truck for two days. For him it started EVERY TIME. He said with an intermittent problem like this he suspected the ICM but could not be sure as long as it was not malfunctioning. He said to drive it and have it towed when it would not start again.
Drove truck home, wallet $43.00 lighter. Got home & immediately truck would not start :-) gotta love it
Hooked up HEI spark tester and when cranked got one spark every 5 seconds, cranked for about one minute & like clockwork one spark every five seconds & suddenly it started sparking like crazy witch meant it was now working properly again.
Sure enough hooked coil back up and it started and ran like a champ.
Recap:
Truck never stalls when running.
It simply will not start from time to time
Does not seem to matter if engine is cold or hot
when it wont start only get one spark every five seconds.
If I can't get this diagnosed soon I'm about to start replacing components one by one if necessary, any advice will be appreciated.
Thanks

 

i would go ahead and get a new ICM by the sound of it but thats just me

or if its not too big of a pain to get it out find one off a truck that is in good working order and try it on there to see if it fixes it

 

OK, Decided to purchase test equipment, HEI Spark tester, LED test light, conventional test light & multi meter.
Truck would not start while I was working on wife's Explorer. Had truck towed to shop. Shop had truck for two days & it started EVERY TIME for him.
Shop owner suspects ICM but can't be sure if intermittent problem is not acting up for him. Shop owner said to take truck and have it towed in when it acted up again. Drove truck home wallet 43.00 dollars lighter and truck immediately would not start.
Hocked up HEI spark tester to coil wire (removed wire at distributor cap)
Got one spark every five seconds??? tried a few more times with same result & suddenly it was sparking at normal rate. Event was over and truck runs fine for now.
Recap:
Truck will not start from time to time
It never stalls out when running, just no start
Does not seem to matter if hot or cold
No start event will not last lone enough to properly diagnose.
I am getting ready to start replacing components one by one if necessary
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Scott

 

Next time it does not start try pulling the SPOUT out and see if the spark returns and it starts.

 

Scott I am having this same problem. I have replaced the ignition coil and the ICM. Next up is the PIP.

Did you fix your truck? If so, what was the problem?

-Joe
1995 5.8L F150

 

Be weary of aftermarket PIP sensors. I changed mine out thinking it was the problem (it wasn't, and my issue was it wouldn't start when hot) and with the new one (BWD I believe) it would pop and bang at high rpms. The hotter the truck got the lower the rpms it popped and banged at would get. It would do it at 1500-2000 rpms when hot enough, and I could get it to go higher but man it sounded horrible. I also took it for a drive and anytime I tried to accelerate more than normal or step on it it almost sounded like I blew a head or manifold gasket. Put my old PIP in, ZERO issues. Just food for thought

 

Part 1 -Ford Ignition Module Test. Fender Mounted Module (ICM).