FE ignition help
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Springfield Mo.
FE ignition help
About at end of my rope. Went for a shorty drive and engine was loosing power. Fuel filter , changed then wouldn’t start. It was popping and cracking under load before I shut it off.
Changed coil, ignition module, pickup in distbutor twice, load tested wires from distributor to module they were ok.
Still no spark from coil,applied power differently and coil has hot spark.
Engine is getting fuel. Battery is good.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance. We haven’t found a wave pattern on distributor to verify against. My son in law thought it looked odd but didn’t have any info. He was using a snap on diag machine.
Changed coil, ignition module, pickup in distbutor twice, load tested wires from distributor to module they were ok.
Still no spark from coil,applied power differently and coil has hot spark.
Engine is getting fuel. Battery is good.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance. We haven’t found a wave pattern on distributor to verify against. My son in law thought it looked odd but didn’t have any info. He was using a snap on diag machine.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,313
Likes: 367
From: Kansas
when you say you applied power differently, do you mean you can manually make the coil spark, or you were actually getting a spark from the coil while cranking? have you confirmed the rotor is turning while cranking?
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,217
Likes: 325
From: Central Florida
Sounds like timing might have changed. Check the vacuum advance looking for cracks in hose or disconnect then see if the distributor might have moved by checking whether it can be rotated in either direction by hand. I take it that you didn't replace the cap b/c it was OK. Plug wire should also get some scrutiny.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Springfield Mo.
Well I have changed everything dust. ignition module,ignition module on fender well, ignition switch ,3 coils, new cap and rotor with coil wire.
the dust module is putting out a signal with square wave.
Jumped the 2 wire connection going to control module for connection test, no change.
Battery is good. Load tested wires seem ok.
Only thing I haven’t changed is starter solenoid .
Cranks over good but no spark.
About to add gas and a match.
Accepting any help. I’m not a diag person, good parts changer tho.
the dust module is putting out a signal with square wave.
Jumped the 2 wire connection going to control module for connection test, no change.
Battery is good. Load tested wires seem ok.
Only thing I haven’t changed is starter solenoid .
Cranks over good but no spark.
About to add gas and a match.
Accepting any help. I’m not a diag person, good parts changer tho.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,217
Likes: 325
From: Central Florida
Is that fire (spark) at the plugs? If so and if fuel is not the problem then firing order and timing are the prime suspects. If spark at the plugs is weak or non-existant then new spark plug wires are indicated.
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Tuned
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From: Springfield Mo.
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Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Springfield Mo.
Horseshoe clip on coil.
Have bought a motocraft icm but haven’t installed.
Bought motocraft icm, new starter solenoid
No change.
Could a resistance wire be bad? Supposedly there is one coming out of ignition switch
Have bought a motocraft icm but haven’t installed.
Bought motocraft icm, new starter solenoid
No change.
Could a resistance wire be bad? Supposedly there is one coming out of ignition switch
Last edited by willymakeit; Oct 9, 2018 at 05:02 PM. Reason: More info
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,606
Likes: 1,175
From: San Jose, CA
What's BEI?
Whatever it is, I'm not sure there is anything that can guarantee an older vehicle never has this happen again.
And don't bother to replace the starter relay/solenoid yet. Test it first by simply disconnecting the small Brown wire from the little "I" (for ignition) terminal and try again. If still not starting, then it's not the starter relay.
Since the engine is cranking with the starter, the starter relay is working in that regard. The fact that the Brown wire is directly connected to the ignition coil's Red w/green wire is why you test by disconnecting it to make sure it's not somehow shorting out. Pretty rare, but not impossible.
You can easily test the magnetic trigger inside the distributor (assuming you have a factory Dura Spark?) by using an ohm-meter on the Orange and Purple wires. You want to see between 400 and 800 ohms between them. If more or less, replace the unit (or the whole distributor).
Make sure you're getting power to the ICM. Old ones do fail, but it's cheaper to check for power first, since the wires and connections can be causing trouble after all these years.
What year truck is this by the way? What engine? Sorry, maybe you've said and I missed it, or it's in your user information. I just didn't look yet.
Good luck.
Paul
Whatever it is, I'm not sure there is anything that can guarantee an older vehicle never has this happen again.
And don't bother to replace the starter relay/solenoid yet. Test it first by simply disconnecting the small Brown wire from the little "I" (for ignition) terminal and try again. If still not starting, then it's not the starter relay.
Since the engine is cranking with the starter, the starter relay is working in that regard. The fact that the Brown wire is directly connected to the ignition coil's Red w/green wire is why you test by disconnecting it to make sure it's not somehow shorting out. Pretty rare, but not impossible.
You can easily test the magnetic trigger inside the distributor (assuming you have a factory Dura Spark?) by using an ohm-meter on the Orange and Purple wires. You want to see between 400 and 800 ohms between them. If more or less, replace the unit (or the whole distributor).
Make sure you're getting power to the ICM. Old ones do fail, but it's cheaper to check for power first, since the wires and connections can be causing trouble after all these years.
What year truck is this by the way? What engine? Sorry, maybe you've said and I missed it, or it's in your user information. I just didn't look yet.
Good luck.
Paul
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Springfield Mo.
Truck is 77 on a 74 chassis. Some one built a 1/2 assed highboy for a pulling truck.
i I meant to say HEI for ignition. Engine is a FE ,I assume 390 with a c6. Fairly good running motor when running. This is the first issue.
It had set in weeds for 10 years, so I’ve replaced about everything.
i I meant to say HEI for ignition. Engine is a FE ,I assume 390 with a c6. Fairly good running motor when running. This is the first issue.
It had set in weeds for 10 years, so I’ve replaced about everything.
Thread Starter
|
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Springfield Mo.
What's BEI?
Whatever it is, I'm not sure there is anything that can guarantee an older vehicle never has this happen again.
And don't bother to replace the starter relay/solenoid yet. Test it first by simply disconnecting the small Brown wire from the little "I" (for ignition) terminal and try again. If still not starting, then it's not the starter relay.
Since the engine is cranking with the starter, the starter relay is working in that regard. The fact that the Brown wire is directly connected to the ignition coil's Red w/green wire is why you test by disconnecting it to make sure it's not somehow shorting out. Pretty rare, but not impossible.
You can easily test the magnetic trigger inside the distributor (assuming you have a factory Dura Spark?) by using an ohm-meter on the Orange and Purple wires. You want to see between 400 and 800 ohms between them. If more or less, replace the unit (or the whole distributor).
Make sure you're getting power to the ICM. Old ones do fail, but it's cheaper to check for power first, since the wires and connections can be causing trouble after all these years.
What year truck is this by the way? What engine? Sorry, maybe you've said and I missed it, or it's in your user information. I just didn't look yet.
Good luck.
Paul
Whatever it is, I'm not sure there is anything that can guarantee an older vehicle never has this happen again.
And don't bother to replace the starter relay/solenoid yet. Test it first by simply disconnecting the small Brown wire from the little "I" (for ignition) terminal and try again. If still not starting, then it's not the starter relay.
Since the engine is cranking with the starter, the starter relay is working in that regard. The fact that the Brown wire is directly connected to the ignition coil's Red w/green wire is why you test by disconnecting it to make sure it's not somehow shorting out. Pretty rare, but not impossible.
You can easily test the magnetic trigger inside the distributor (assuming you have a factory Dura Spark?) by using an ohm-meter on the Orange and Purple wires. You want to see between 400 and 800 ohms between them. If more or less, replace the unit (or the whole distributor).
Make sure you're getting power to the ICM. Old ones do fail, but it's cheaper to check for power first, since the wires and connections can be causing trouble after all these years.
What year truck is this by the way? What engine? Sorry, maybe you've said and I missed it, or it's in your user information. I just didn't look yet.
Good luck.
Paul
HEI was ignition I meant, speed check.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 787
From: Simi Valley, CA
F100/350 FE engines (360/390) cancelled at the end of the 1976 model run, were not installed in cars after 1971.
1968/76 F100/250 4WD .. Only V8 factory installed: 360 2V
On sale day, 360's magically become 390's!