1959 F100 ignition problems.
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1959 F100 ignition problems.
Hello,
Im new to the forum and I'm having ignition problems. I drove the truck home on Wednesday and I have let been able to get it to start since. I'm getting fuel but not getting spark. I looked at the coil wires aND the wire from the positive post goes to distributor and a wire coming from the harness goes to the negative post. Is this correct?
Im new to the forum and I'm having ignition problems. I drove the truck home on Wednesday and I have let been able to get it to start since. I'm getting fuel but not getting spark. I looked at the coil wires aND the wire from the positive post goes to distributor and a wire coming from the harness goes to the negative post. Is this correct?
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
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From: Waterloo, Iowa
Welcome to FTE
If it ran before wiring is probably OK (for now). Don't mess with it.. yet.
A. Points & Condenser?
or
B. Electronic ignition?
About a 99 and 44/100ths % chance the condenser is bad, if running points and, if it is not an old school NOS from 50s thru 70s or Motorcraft. Install a known good condenser and see if that helps. The coil will still work if hooked up "backwards", not optimal but will still run.
If it's not the el-cheapo condenser then proceed to other usual suspects - make sure uninsulated copper ground wire inside distributor is connected, make sure points don't have a layer of skunge on them, coil shows reasonable OHMS on primary and secondary, etc.
If it ran before wiring is probably OK (for now). Don't mess with it.. yet.
A. Points & Condenser?
or
B. Electronic ignition?
About a 99 and 44/100ths % chance the condenser is bad, if running points and, if it is not an old school NOS from 50s thru 70s or Motorcraft. Install a known good condenser and see if that helps. The coil will still work if hooked up "backwards", not optimal but will still run.
If it's not the el-cheapo condenser then proceed to other usual suspects - make sure uninsulated copper ground wire inside distributor is connected, make sure points don't have a layer of skunge on them, coil shows reasonable OHMS on primary and secondary, etc.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Well not guaranteeing anything. The new ones available at the auto parts stores today are junk, I CAN vouch for that. There are dozens of posts here confirming this. Kind of a judgment call on your part, do they look new?
Motorcraft still sells quality contact points and condensers. IF you want to run points, they have to be good ones or forget it.
Courtesy JEFFFAFA:
B8Q12171A...(DP12)...Ford (Motorcraft)...Ford V8 points for single point Dizzys...still available. C9AZ12300A..(DC13A)...Ford ( Motorcraft)...same application...also available.
Motorcraft still sells quality contact points and condensers. IF you want to run points, they have to be good ones or forget it.
Courtesy JEFFFAFA:
B8Q12171A...(DP12)...Ford (Motorcraft)...Ford V8 points for single point Dizzys...still available. C9AZ12300A..(DC13A)...Ford ( Motorcraft)...same application...also available.
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So I have changed the condenser, coil and distributor cap and still no spark. From reading other related posts others were having issues with not getting power to the coil from ignition. Should I run a wire from the "I" terminal on the starter relay to the positive side of the coil?
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
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From: Waterloo, Iowa
Have you tried removing the coil wire from the distributor cap, and placing the terminal side about 3/8" from ground and cranking the motor. There should be a good healthy blue spark.
This is a way of isolating the problem further. If spark is good, then the problem is in the cap or rotor, or wires or plugs. If not, then there must be a problem in the primary ignition circuit - the coil, or points, or condenser. Look for a loose ground jumper wire inside the distributor. It's gotta be something simple because it ran before.
This is a way of isolating the problem further. If spark is good, then the problem is in the cap or rotor, or wires or plugs. If not, then there must be a problem in the primary ignition circuit - the coil, or points, or condenser. Look for a loose ground jumper wire inside the distributor. It's gotta be something simple because it ran before.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: tujunga, calif
So I have changed the condenser, coil and distributor cap and still no spark. From reading other related posts others were having issues with not getting power to the coil from ignition. Should I run a wire from the "I" terminal on the starter relay to the positive side of the coil?
Do you have an external ballast resistor before the coil? The diagram posted above is for a later truck and doesn't show the ballast resistor.
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No there is no ballast resistor installed.
Thanks everyone for your input. I will try this tonight.
Thanks everyone for your input. I will try this tonight.
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So as you can see from the picture I added a wire from the battery + to the coil +. Im still not getting spark and so far the only thing I haven't changed are the spark plug wire set. I disconnect the wire from the distributor cap and placed close to ground and got not spark. The coil was purchased Thursday from autozone.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
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From: Waterloo, Iowa
I'd be willing to bet the coil is fine. Maybe not, but it's easy to test. Here's a test pic http://www.waywardgarage.com iirc.
Check for distributor grounds where they need to be, and none where they shouldn't. The problem lays in the points or condenser, distributor or wiring, the primary circuit as described.
Check for distributor grounds where they need to be, and none where they shouldn't. The problem lays in the points or condenser, distributor or wiring, the primary circuit as described.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,771
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From: tujunga, calif
You didn't mention your 59 didn't have a 59 motor but that doesn't matter, the electrical will be the same. Take the cap off and have someone crank the motor and watch what the points are doing. Did you buy an external or internal resistance coil?
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