Help me! I just obtained an 87 F150 302 EFI... The previous owner thought that someone put water in the gas. I pumped the tanks, and no luck. So, off to the spark plugs. I pulled #1 and grounded it, and no spark. So I pulled the module on the distributor (fun job) and the coil, and took them to my NAPA.. the module was tested, and claimed to be working fine. I replaced the coil, and still no spark. I put a spark plug on the coil wire, and there was no sign of activity. I tested the terminals on the coil with the key on. The + side read 12 volts, and so did the negative side. I thought it was odd, so i jumped a ground to the negative side, and still no spark. HELP HELP. When i turned the key on, i didn't notice a 'check engine' light. anything else i should try? oh, how i miss a carburator.

 

Your ign module pulses the ground to the coil to make it fire. The neg side of coil will show voltage until the engine is cranked. With a test lite, connect alligator clip to pos batt terminal. Put pointy end to neg side of coil. While cranking engine test lite should pulse. If it doesnt, make sure dist rotor turns while cranking. Then check power and ground to module, you,ll need wiring diagram. If module ok, has power and ground when its supposed to, and dist turns, and no pulse at coil your pickup coil inside dist is most likely bad. I use a scope at work to visually tell if pickup bad.

 

OK... i've tested the - side of the coil as suggest, with a tester on the + batt. and - coil. With the key off, i get light; with the key on, no light... and cranking, i get a steady dim light. I'm going ot assume that this is my pickup module not working, since my NAPA tested my module (on the outside of the dist.) and they said it was ok (or are their testers sometimes unreliable?). I have a new pickup module for inside the dist., but how to i get it out? I've removed the rotor, and the round peice with the slots sticking down (2 small bolts), but i can't get the plate off that it mounts too. Looks like it may be pressed on. do i have to remove my dist? any help is greatly appreciated!!

 

To replace pickup coil you have to remove dist, knock out pin holding gear in place and press shaft out of dist housing. Major pain in butt. Before you do all that make sure module is getting power and ground when its supposed to. I cant recall exactly how the wiring to module is but there ought to be a diagram in a web site somewhere. 7 wires , right ? Top wire in connector to module is PIP. Next is SPOUT. Next is ign power, next is crank power, next is IDM, then tach, then ground. I think thats right. Also, module needs both 5.5 attaching screws to provide decent ground. Good luck, I,ll check back later.

 

well, checked the volts on module harness, and i have 4= on the top one, 12 on all the others except bottom, which seems to be a ground. all my bolts seem to provide good ground. i poked the red wire inside the dist. that goes from the module to the pick up, and read 9 volts. this is all with the key on. i think i'm just going to have to break down and buy the haynes book. darn thing is, is that i can rebuild this engine no prob with no book, it's just this goofy electric stuff is givin me a headache! thanks for any help. any suggestions?

 

well, success... i have fire. i started testing all the ignition from the haynes manual. everything was working out good .. and i went to test the AC volts on the PIP wire on the module, and voila! clicking and spark.. i dont know what i did.. but something finally clicked. one thing i do remember doing, is wiggling the large red wire on the feul regulator.. i dont know if this would made any difference, but .. i have fire. i couldn't get the truck to turn over, but i've replaced one side of plugs, and now it starts. i'll do the other side and see how smooth this runs. thanks for your help. this is a $450 special, so i'm sure i'll be on here again!

 

Fuel pressure regulator has a red vacumn line to it so I dont think that was your problem. Bad elect connection somewhere, I,d guess. Hope problem doesn,t re-occur down the line. Good luck.

 

did that fix the truck or did you still have trouble with it and if so what did you have to do