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I'd be the last one to question the internet experts but see is believing.
I pulled the ICM out of my 95 5.0. (grey one) put it in in place of the black one in my 97 5.8.
Test drive tuck hasn't run this good in months.
Could this situation be related to the new ICM (black one) I put in a month or so ago.
Should I try another ICM (black/grey)?
$150 ICM is going to be cheaper than a rebuilt computer I'm sure.
I bought the 95 5 plus years ago. It's been driven hard for 80 thousand miles with a grey ICM.
I just put that in to 97 to get it to run.
Never missed a beat.
All 1994 and later gas engines Ford trucks were designed to use the black in color Computer Controlled Dwell (CCD) Ignition Control Module (ICM). As it implies the computer controls the dwell time, spark on time. By using a gray Push-Start ICM the computer is no longer controlling the dwell, the gray ICM will run on fixed dwell which can cause drivability issues, loss of power and lower MPGs. The problem tends to get worse when using non-OEM parts.
As it has been stated dozens of times on this forum many parts manuals are wrong for this vintage truck including Ford so that's why you find the wrong ICM frequently. If you were satisfied with how your 1995 ran with the gray ICM then good for you. Could it have run better/more MPGs with the correct ICM? possibly.
As I asked before what brand of black ICM was in your 1997? If it was aftermarket they tend to be problematic. But in all honesty I never run across one that would fail with no spark/SPOUT in but would have spark/SPOUT out which mimics a bad computer.
It would be interesting to see if that black ICM displays the same no spark issue in your 1995.
Update and hopefully conclusion.
I replaced the black ICM with a "Standard" products grey one.
Truck now starts and runs better than it has since I bought it.
So you ignored these posts asking what brand (black) ICM is in the ‘97 because of questionable aftermarket parts quality and multiple people stating that black, not gray, is the correct part for both of your trucks.
Originally Posted by rla2005
All 1994 and later gas engines Ford trucks were designed to use the black in color Computer Controlled Dwell (CCD) Ignition Control Module (ICM). As it implies the computer controls the dwell time, spark on time. By using a gray Push-Start ICM the computer is no longer controlling the dwell, the gray ICM will run on fixed dwell which can cause drivability issues, loss of power and lower MPGs. The problem tends to get worse when using non-OEM parts.
As it has been stated dozens of times on this forum many parts manuals are wrong for this vintage truck including Ford so that's why you find the wrong ICM frequently. If you were satisfied with how your 1995 ran with the gray ICM then good for you. Could it have run better/more MPGs with the correct ICM? possibly.
As I asked before what brand of black ICM was in your 1997? If it was aftermarket they tend to be problematic. But in all honesty I never run across one that would fail with no spark/SPOUT in but would have spark/SPOUT out which mimics a bad computer.
It would be interesting to see if that black ICM displays the same no spark issue in your 1995.
Originally Posted by rla2005
A 1995 model year gas engine truck should have a black ICM. It's the wrong one if it is a gray Push-Start ICM.
So you ignored these posts asking what brand (black) ICM is in the ‘97 because of questionable aftermarket parts quality and multiple people stating that black, not gray, is the correct part for both of your trucks.
exactly what I was gonna say. Went through this with my 96 5.8. Icm took a ****. Had a grey one . Prior to it dying and leaving me stranded the truck would always start hard as in crank and crank like no spark. Then in many cases if would fire then die . Re start and die again. Then finally run. Came on here And did some investigating. Replaced icm with aftermarket black one. Well truck started after replaced the dead grey icm with aftermarket black icm. But here’s the catch. Truck still would hard start then catch and start and die . Then after couple tries stay running. But hey it’s running. Rite? Now again this was aftermarket icm black. But hard start still was present. And the new icm was throwing codes. Couldn’t get them to go away. So back to parts store and returned icm and ordered a oem motocraft black one from rock auto cuz o Reilly rip off parts wanted almost double price for oem and many just go the aftermarket route. Well boom the new oem icm cured the hard start issue and all codes went away. Oem sensors and modules all the way. Parts store even finally admitted these aftermarket icm can be troublesome. But I do know from all i read here 94 thru 96 require black icm . Not grey. His is a 97. But oem is the way.
here the OP stated he bought a standard products greywhich is incorrect @torq'ta 5 8
his truck is a 97. 94 to 96 is to run black. Not sure on 97. Every where I read on here about the icm debacle that 94 to 96 should have a black not grey. But again this is a 97. Not in the rite forum . Perhaps 97 went back to grey and all is well for him. But 97 not the same . Am I’m wrong here? But oem icm all the way.
