Letting the key off and having the engine almost start is an indication of a lousy stator! Believe it! Could you ohm out the new one and compare it to the old?

By the way, those readings of 500-1Kohms...(0.5-1ohms) when I mentioned it showed a shot stator... was wrong. Mea Culpa! I didn't know the meter was set high. I hope you didn't spend the bucks on a new one at my behest....if you did, please forgive...and send me the bill.

Again, all resistance measurements should be taken with the key off, yes?


Actually, I know the Bible says 6-8 VDC for the ballast resistor test but I like to see a little higher reading. I have seen vehicles that read OK but in reality are not. Key ON, engine OFF, Coil Batt terminal to ground should be (according to moi....hahaha) > 6 VDC and ~ 8 VDC, mebbe ~ 9.

The same test - coil batt terminal to ground - while running should be no more than 9 VDC.

If you could, check the distance between the stator and a reluctor tooth - should be 0.018." And all the wires/connections are good?

Just to be sure: You have fuel...the carb had nice squirts when you blipped the throttle, correct? And it's obvious you have air. That leaves spark. Besides checking the plugs, have you checked for spark yet? Results?

 

The stator was the first thing I ever fixed on this engine. I lost the darn retainer for the vac arm, today however.
Step 1: install new plugs and wires
Step 2: ohm out new stator key off
It ran today when i kept a quarter throttle.

 

Update new wires and motor craft platinum spark plugs, had to use the old coil to distributor lead as the new one wasn't long enough, creating yet another trip to parts store.

It started up on the second turn ran poorly for 2 minutes then died, started back up, with hints of starting as I let off the key(luckily I kept the motor craft stator I swapped out for a China brand).
I am using an accel universal 12v coil 8140c the plastic tower pushes against the rubber boot of the lead and backs the terminal off, anyone else use this coil? Or can someone suggest a wire designed to work with this high tower?

Running out of ideas I'm going to replace the coil lead and put back in the old stator. Still cannot get any response from either the purple or orange terminals to ground, supposedly this test should yield 70k ohms, anyone care to posit as to why?

 

Have you checked the timing? Something may have moved (timing chain,dist.gear ?).

 

Can't help you with the coil wire.

Orange/purple to ground ohm test: No reading at all? That's an indication of a wiring/connection illness. Check/cajole/jiggle the wiring harness/wiring between the ICM and distributor...including the distributor connection/grommet....then re-ohm it out.

While you have the meter out, check the resistance on the ballast resistor wire, just to be sure it's functioning as it should: Disconnect the plug on the ICM with the RED and WHITE wires. Disconnect the coil's "horseshoe" conection if used. If you have just a eye terminal, disconnect it from the coil. Check the resistance between the BATT(+) coil wire and the RED ICM mating wire....I believe it would be a WHITE wire on the disconnected plug, which mates to the RED ICM wire.

Here, you're looking for 0.8 - 1.6 ohms. Anything more or less, the dreaded ballast resistor wire is pooched.

Again, all resistance measurements are taken with the key OFF....just sayin' that to repeat meself....I'm sure you know that.

 

Update fixed coil wire by replacing the boot with one supplied in the coil box. Bonus points to accel. Seeking vacuum advance arm retainer at junkyard this weekend. To test this ballast resistor/red Icm mating(white) should all connection from the coil be disconnected positive, negative, main lead or just the one being tested.
thank you for the assistance, love my truck.

 

All you need to remove from the coil is the BATT (+) wire. By doing that, all you're testing is the resistance in the ballast resistor wire (circuit) to the plug.

 

Update
I checked the batt + against both sides of the icm mating plug, only one side had a reading of 1.2 ohms, no reading on the other side.
I am thankful for all the help on this thread!

 

All you needed to test was the RED ICM mating wire. The other one goes to the ignition switch and should be "open" or showing infinite resistance unless the key is on.

So it seems the "dark side" of the ballast resistor wire isn't dark at all. One less thing to be perplexed about.

You're thankful for the help? No problem, Sir! Well, I thank you for your "Emily Post!"
'Tis the season, no?

We'll both be "thankful" when you're up and running!

How did the "jiggling" of the wire harness turn out? (Post #20, orange/purple to ground ohm test).

 

I will recheck the stator org/purple to ground, can I check these against the batt ground?

 

Yessuh, you can use the battery ground if you don't think you have a good engine ground.....such as the base of the distributor, or a clean unpainted piece of engine.

Your question of what ground to use brings up another question from me....how are your grounds? Engine to cab, BATT (-) to engine, BATT (-) to frame, starter solenoid grounded to clean, unpainted fenderwell, distributor base to engine?

I won't ask about the lights to ground, or dash grounding...yet...as you seem to have no problem there.

 

Come to think of it I do have one questionable ground, I'll have to trace the source but I thought I had taken care of it.
Next step go thru the aforementioned grounds..

I have also considered removing the aftermarket radio to address the hot blade inserted into the fuse box to give what I'm guessing is constant voltage to radio. Previous owner

Recently the door chime/seatbelt warning failed..I'm guessing these are related events but the original symptom was an experience like fuel starvation?

Also all electrical lights, signals, reverse lights, marker lights, inside lights, dash lights, stop lights, headlights, all work. Go figure

Emily post, that's a good one, I had to wiki that to apply appropriate sub context. As the kids say LOL

Just a question what can the dark side of the ballast wire with 1.2 ohms confirm?

Thank you

 

Just pull the spade connector for the time being and go from there?

The seatbelt buzzer wiring goes under the driver's floor mat, under the seat and connects around there to the belts. I thought it connected to the high beam switch but its been a while.....I pulled the wiring and yanked the fuse on mine 'cause I didn't like the noise, etc.

Original symptom was something like fuel starvation? Forgive me if I can't remember....that would indicate a fuel pump, float adjustment or accelerator pump starting to go south.

Ahh, good. That means all your internal/dash/steering column connections and grounds are in good shape.

Hahaha....I was just being facetious about the "dark side." All I meant to say was that the ballast resistor circuitry is in good shape and you don't have to worry about it.

And... you're welcome, of course.

 

"Letting the key off and having the engine almost start is an indication of a lousy stator! Believe it! "

My 79(460) would pop on the "on" and not start on "start". It was the was the Box,tested with spare and it would start on "start"

 

Update
Pulled two spade connectors from the fuse box now radio is silent, I guess they were for constant and switched ac?

One particular question , I have a random braided ground behind the carb on the cab that connects to nowhere, I'm thinking this is the engine ground?

Batt - goes to the engine block then a second ground from the engine block goes to the frame this appears to be a series configuration.

I had to wire in a secondary seatbelt with a working latch to get a working seatbelt tone, my guess is that connection went south, checking...

I cleaned up the starter solenoid ground, but without that retainer for the vacuum advance arm to the stator I'm stuck at this point, junkyard bound..

Thanks again