I’ve been working on the ‘66 F250 for a while trying to get her started after sitting for 15 years. She’ll start now, has trouble idling, but will run with a foot on the accelerator. Today I installed a Pertronix 1 and a flamethrower coil to replace the points and condenser. After install, it started right up but seemed to idle super high for about 20 seconds then puttered out. I started it again and the starter motor seemed to keep cranking even after it started. Then some grinding and other awful noises. Best place to start? I couldn’t find a ballast resistor anywhere but wondering if I missed it and that’s the issue? Timing?Thoughts? Thanks!

 

You don't want a resistor. What module are you using 1,2 or 3?

 

Right. I was looking for a resistor to remove but didn’t see one. I’m using the Pertronix 1.

 

Check the voltage at the coil with key on. Don't leave it on long as the pertronics 1 wont like that. If the voltage is low the Pink wire from the key is a resistor.

 

Thanks! I’ll start there.

 

Stuck solenoid maybe on the non-stop cranking? Maybe constant voltage to the S terminal keeping the starter engaged, happened to me once. I've read that a missing/bad engine ground can cause some issues.

 

Not that it’s means anything, but it is a new solenoid and I didn’t have the problem at all with the points and condenser. The engine ground wire is brand new and cleaned up where it is bolted down. I guess my worry is why it started after the pertronix install.

 

To get an accurate voltage reading at the coil do it with the engine running.
It also appears that there is a carburetor problem.

 

Means something! I like to go back to the last change made too so, makes sense to me. My recommends were mostly based on what I've read in the past/some personal experience on the nonstop cranking.

 

It's a safe bet the new solenoid starter relay is the problem. Bogus parts. They are notorious, these two buck chuck Ford starter relays. Use a Motorcraft or good old school NORS from Standard.

The Pertronix I module wants the 1.5 ohm Flamethrower coil, and disconnect or bypass the harness resistor "pink" wire. Can run a heavy gauge wire straight from the ignition switch terminal to the + side of the coil. If there is less than 1.5 ohms resistance in the primary power circuit the module will fry. If the key is left in RUN without the engine running with points ignition, there's a fair chance the coil & points will get smoked too, if the points just happen to be closed. It apparently isn't an immediate death sentence, though it will definitely smoke the coil (ask me how I know) but the Pertronix has never missed a spark in 20 years in my Y block. Maybe tomorrow, I dunno.

A lot of these things get told and re-told over and over and exaggerated. It is definitely not a good habit to get into though. Can't remember exactly what I was doing, actually had the battery on a charger at the time. So probably 14+ volts. The coil didn't like that at all. The coil leaked, lucky it didn't crap the bed. Didn't seem to faze the Ignitor though. They tend to either "work" or "not work" no in between, no repairs possible.The wonders of modern electronics.

 

I put a Pertronix in the 390 distributor in my truck in the late ‘90s, stock coil and stock resistor wire. All I’ve done since then is replace the cap & rotor during tune-ups.

 

After banging my head against the wall on this for a couple of weeks off and on, pulling the starter, tracing wires, checking voltages, etc, tonight I found a spliced spot in the coil wire that I didn’t know was there that had come un-spliced. Fixed it. Turned the key. She started right up and ran better than I’ve heard her yet. Felt so dumb, but also so good.