Overheating coil?
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,150
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
I am trying to capture all the troubleshooting steps into one write up for my TS notes....keep'm coming. And thanks to all and fmc 400 keeping us on track.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 4,656
Likes: 4
From: Northern and Southern Cal
Funny stuff Rich.
I hope fmc knows that we are laughing out of respect and jealousy of the way his mind works and the knowledge he possesses.
I have to stick my finger in the socket before I figure it out.
I hope fmc knows that we are laughing out of respect and jealousy of the way his mind works and the knowledge he possesses.
I have to stick my finger in the socket before I figure it out.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
That means the module is firing the coil properly and takes power, the ignition module, and pickup module out of the equation.
Assuming this behavior is reproducible, the issue is isolated to the secondary side of the ignition system - distributor cap, rotor, or plug wires. Perhaps the rotor isn't riding the inside of the cap, or the coil wire is bad. The other possibility is that you really do have spark and you're not checking properly, and the engine is shutting off for some other reason. You might want to repeat this a couple more times to make sure the test results are the same in the presence of the failure mechanism.
Assuming this behavior is reproducible, the issue is isolated to the secondary side of the ignition system - distributor cap, rotor, or plug wires. Perhaps the rotor isn't riding the inside of the cap, or the coil wire is bad. The other possibility is that you really do have spark and you're not checking properly, and the engine is shutting off for some other reason. You might want to repeat this a couple more times to make sure the test results are the same in the presence of the failure mechanism.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 4,656
Likes: 4
From: Northern and Southern Cal
I keep thinking about the low voltage.
Dave you say the coil and wires are new.
I'd keep checking upstream, if all the connections are good.
Dave you say the coil and wires are new.
I'd keep checking upstream, if all the connections are good.
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Pasadena, Ca
I always look at a fixit thread for someone down the road too. Someone 3 years from now will be able to read this through, and be able to NOT go through the same steps that Dave has, saving them even more time and frustration.
And hopefully they can see the good natured humor also
And hopefully they can see the good natured humor also
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Burlington, WI
Yes the coil I have in there now is ~4 months old. The plug wires I literally put on on sunday. The distubuotr cap is also ~4 months old, as is the rotor.
I will continue to check with the test light when the truck dies again.
What I don't understand is that if the coil and primary side of the ignition system is working fine (at least at this time), then why is the voltage from ground to the + side of the coil so low?
I will continue to check with the test light when the truck dies again.
What I don't understand is that if the coil and primary side of the ignition system is working fine (at least at this time), then why is the voltage from ground to the + side of the coil so low?
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 4,656
Likes: 4
From: Northern and Southern Cal
Edit
I just checked also, he asked if the coils were the right ones.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Burlington, WI
also for what it's worth, I bought this truck with this issue. It's survived 2 engines, 2 distributors, countless plug wire sets and spark plugs, 4 ICM's, 3 or 4 coils, etc. It's just becoming more of a predominant issue and it's acting up ALOT more often thatn it always did...which is why its time to finally fix it right
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Burlington, WI
