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The coil gets very hot. I’m beginning to think that maybe the coil overheats and causes it to not start? If that’s the case - how would do I prevent it from overheating?
That brown wire coming out of that plug to the wire nut has a faint pink strip on it correct? This wire nut has the two + wires to the coil? That looks correct. By the way, two of those other wires coming out of the plug in the picture below are your oil pressure and water temp wires. The colors are faded and look yellow, but they are supposed to be white. White with red stripe and red with white stripe.
That brown wire coming out of that plug to the wire nut has a faint pink strip on it correct? This wire nut has the two + wires to the coil? That looks correct. By the way, two of those other wires coming out of the plug in the picture below are your oil pressure and water temp wires. The colors are faded and look yellow, but they are supposed to be white. White with red stripe and red with white stripe.
yes that is correct. So every time it runs it runs great (timing off a bit but that’s beside the point.) and then I shut it off and turn it back on a few times, no issues. But if I leave it for a minute or so when it’s off and try to start it again, it doesn’t start. Then if I wait a while longer till the motor is cool, it will start. Weird, right?? I think I’ll replace the coil, see if it makes a difference.
The coil gets very hot. I’m beginning to think that maybe the coil overheats and causes it to not start? If that’s the case - how would do I prevent it from overheating?
Regarding the hot coil. Check the "Key ON" voltage at the coil positive. Also the coil primary resistance should be around 1 -1.2 ohms.
The coil will get hot if you leave the key ON, engine not running. The heat is cause by current flow, higher applied voltage and lower coil internal primary resistance will make this worse.
One more question, there is a large round splice in the coil feed wire (fat wire} about 6 inches from the 4 wire connector. Does have 3 wire into it or just 2, on the firewall side?
When it doesn't want to start, look at the choke, is it closed?
When it doesn't want to start, look at the choke, is it closed?
Jim
That's a good point. If he changed the carb, a lot of the aftermarket carbs have full electric chokes. If he hooked a hot wire to this, if he left the key on, engine off, it will open the choke, but the engine is not warming up. So a cold engine with a fully open choke is going to be hard to start. Turn the key off, let the choke cool off and shut, and then the engine starts.
JimsRebel regarding your question about the large round splice in the coil feed wire, it has three wires into it on the firewall side. And my choke seems to be working just fine. But something else interesting and alarming happened: I was moving the dizzy around while it was running. It shocked me, and then the motor turned off. And then it wouldn't start again, just like before. So... Is there possibly something not grounded that needs to be?
Also, before that, I had taken it for a spin and it lurches when I put my foot down (I believe pinging? Not totally sure what that would feel like but I think that's whats happening.) Not totally sure why. I think I have my vacuum advance hooked up correctly. There are two vacuum ports on my carb, one constant and the other kicks in with throttle. I have the vacuum advance hooked up to the one that responds with throttle, and the constant plugged. I watched the vacuum advance lever thing on the dizzy and it is working. But when I give it gas the engine runs rougher.
Any ideas? About ready to take it to a professional, especially with the whole getting shocked thing. I'm going to replace all my plug wires and see if that makes a difference, however. Any help is appreciated.
JimsRebel regarding your question about the large round splice in the coil feed wire, it has three wires into it on the firewall side. And my choke seems to be working just fine. But something else interesting and alarming happened: I was moving the dizzy around while it was running. It shocked me, and then the motor turned off. And then it wouldn't start again, just like before. So... Is there possibly something not grounded that needs to be?
My truck also has 3 wires in and 1 wire out. A stock DS2 truck (1980-1983) has 2 wires in and 1 out. The extra added 3rd wire means the resistor wire might be bypassed and not dropping the voltage as it should. Check the coil positive voltage, Key ON engine not running. It should be less than 12 volts if the resistor wire is dropping some of the applied voltage.
The black wire inside the Dist. is the sole ground for the ignition system. Look inside the dist. You will see a single screw on a metal tab. This is where the 3 wire harness drops back to just 2 wires. Make sure the screw is tight. In order for the ground to work, you will need metal to metal contact with the Dist to the engine block, like the hold down clamp, and clean metal to metal contact.
Regard the carb and overall running issues, it is really a slow hit and miss process. There is not really a quick answer, I will let other jump in on this issue.
JimsRebel regarding your question about the large round splice in the coil feed wire, it has three wires into it on the firewall side. And my choke seems to be working just fine. But something else interesting and alarming happened: I was moving the dizzy around while it was running. It shocked me, and then the motor turned off. And then it wouldn't start again, just like before. So... Is there possibly something not grounded that needs to be?
Also, before that, I had taken it for a spin and it lurches when I put my foot down (I believe pinging? Not totally sure what that would feel like but I think that's whats happening.) Not totally sure why. I think I have my vacuum advance hooked up correctly. There are two vacuum ports on my carb, one constant and the other kicks in with throttle. I have the vacuum advance hooked up to the one that responds with throttle, and the constant plugged. I watched the vacuum advance lever thing on the dizzy and it is working. But when I give it gas the engine runs rougher.
Any ideas? About ready to take it to a professional, especially with the whole getting shocked thing. I'm going to replace all my plug wires and see if that makes a difference, however. Any help is appreciated.
Has it restarted since you got poked. ? The only ground for the system is in the Dist. If you lose that it will take out the module. This may have what happened when you were moving the dist around. Generally, this is never an issue but on an older vehicle with some wear in the dist and corrosion/gunk build up it can happen.
Until you get things running right just leave the vac advance off it is only really used under cruise conditions to maximize fuel economy.
Test your Voltage at the coil in the run position it should be 7-8V. You should not be getting coil overheat if things are wired correctly as the DS system opens the coil ground if it does not get a trigger signal in X amount of time (Key On Engine Off , KOEO). If it is an aftermarket module and itis not opening the coil ground in KOEO pitch it and get a Motorcraft unit.
Never understood the push to swap from TFI IV to DS II when the swap to DS I is so much easier and cheaper..
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