engine seems to die for split second or so at random
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 2,258
Likes: 742
From: Maryland
It did have the wrong gear on it, but I managed to get them changed around. On top of that the bushings where a bit loose in the old distributor. The tfi is grey
I know the fuel pump relay is good, but I'm going to have the brake the bracket off to get the ecm relay, but when I wiggled the wiring I had also taped on the bracket the ecm relay is in, with no change in the engine runing.
I take the cap of the distributor pretty often because it was a cheap one and it doesn't take long to build up some corrosion. It seems like every time I pull the cap off even if I don't clean it, the frequency of the dyeing changes. Some what randomly, sometimes better sometimes worse.
I saw a thread somewhere that suggest possible break in insulation in the shielded bundle of wires coming from the tfi. Now that I think about the way it seems to change when I pull the cap, of coarse I disturb those wires, seems like a good place to check.
Is the shielding around those wires important, and is there a good way to open it without ruining the shielding?
I know the fuel pump relay is good, but I'm going to have the brake the bracket off to get the ecm relay, but when I wiggled the wiring I had also taped on the bracket the ecm relay is in, with no change in the engine runing.
I take the cap of the distributor pretty often because it was a cheap one and it doesn't take long to build up some corrosion. It seems like every time I pull the cap off even if I don't clean it, the frequency of the dyeing changes. Some what randomly, sometimes better sometimes worse.
I saw a thread somewhere that suggest possible break in insulation in the shielded bundle of wires coming from the tfi. Now that I think about the way it seems to change when I pull the cap, of coarse I disturb those wires, seems like a good place to check.
Is the shielding around those wires important, and is there a good way to open it without ruining the shielding?
Some of this era of trucks had an issue where the shielding cut into the wire insulation, but I thought it happened closer to the ECM.
Maybe those worn distributor bushings were affecting your cap, since the rotor was wobbling.
If the contacts inside the ECM relay have damage that happens over time, from the arcing that occurs when they open and close, tapping on it won't help. If you can take the plastic housing off the relay and expose the contacts, you might be able to clean them up with an emery board. But at that point, you might as well get a new relay.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 114
Likes: 3
I switched ecm and fuel pump relay, nothing changed.
I did remove to main cover on the harness and start unrolling the shielding, didn't have enough time and only got like 18 inches of it unrolled.a good bit of it looks brand new. either way i didn't find any issues and with it separate form the harness I messed with the shielded bundle of wires all the way up to right above the brake booster with the engine running, and never got it to mess up. I decided to put in a new pip sensor, that is not the problem either. At this point I have a spare for most of the ignition system in this truck. I'm going to unroll the entire bundle all the way to the ecm today, do I need to replace the shielding or can I just wrap it back around and tape it up? Is the shielding important for anything?
I did remove to main cover on the harness and start unrolling the shielding, didn't have enough time and only got like 18 inches of it unrolled.a good bit of it looks brand new. either way i didn't find any issues and with it separate form the harness I messed with the shielded bundle of wires all the way up to right above the brake booster with the engine running, and never got it to mess up. I decided to put in a new pip sensor, that is not the problem either. At this point I have a spare for most of the ignition system in this truck. I'm going to unroll the entire bundle all the way to the ecm today, do I need to replace the shielding or can I just wrap it back around and tape it up? Is the shielding important for anything?
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 2,258
Likes: 742
From: Maryland
I switched ecm and fuel pump relay, nothing changed.
I did remove to main cover on the harness and start unrolling the shielding, didn't have enough time and only got like 18 inches of it unrolled.a good bit of it looks brand new. either way i didn't find any issues and with it separate form the harness I messed with the shielded bundle of wires all the way up to right above the brake booster with the engine running, and never got it to mess up. I decided to put in a new pip sensor, that is not the problem either. At this point I have a spare for most of the ignition system in this truck. I'm going to unroll the entire bundle all the way to the ecm today, do I need to replace the shielding or can I just wrap it back around and tape it up? Is the shielding important for anything?
I did remove to main cover on the harness and start unrolling the shielding, didn't have enough time and only got like 18 inches of it unrolled.a good bit of it looks brand new. either way i didn't find any issues and with it separate form the harness I messed with the shielded bundle of wires all the way up to right above the brake booster with the engine running, and never got it to mess up. I decided to put in a new pip sensor, that is not the problem either. At this point I have a spare for most of the ignition system in this truck. I'm going to unroll the entire bundle all the way to the ecm today, do I need to replace the shielding or can I just wrap it back around and tape it up? Is the shielding important for anything?
Yes, it's important.
You disassembled the distributor and installed a new PIP sensor?
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 2,258
Likes: 742
From: Maryland
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 114
Likes: 3
Yes, I took the distributor apart and put in a new pip sensor. It is definitely a reman unit, the part of the shaft that was not exposed still had burnt oil and what not on it. They just polished the exposed parts of the shaft and sold it, but it does seem to be in better shape than the old one.
I didn't know what the right terminology was, but I thought it was to protect it from interference or electrical noise. there is none between the plug and about halfway towards the back of the engine. What would I use to replace it? I did unwrap it all and didn't find any problems. I put it all back where it came from.
I didn't know what the right terminology was, but I thought it was to protect it from interference or electrical noise. there is none between the plug and about halfway towards the back of the engine. What would I use to replace it? I did unwrap it all and didn't find any problems. I put it all back where it came from.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 2,258
Likes: 742
From: Maryland
Yes, I took the distributor apart and put in a new pip sensor. It is definitely a reman unit, the part of the shaft that was not exposed still had burnt oil and what not on it. They just polished the exposed parts of the shaft and sold it, but it does seem to be in better shape than the old one.
I didn't know what the right terminology was, but I thought it was to protect it from interference or electrical noise. there is none between the plug and about halfway towards the back of the engine. What would I use to replace it? I did unwrap it all and didn't find any problems. I put it all back where it came from.
I didn't know what the right terminology was, but I thought it was to protect it from interference or electrical noise. there is none between the plug and about halfway towards the back of the engine. What would I use to replace it? I did unwrap it all and didn't find any problems. I put it all back where it came from.
I've never had to buy shielding foil, but if you need to, I'm sure you can find it on line.
This fusible link is worth checking out. It's the one I post 9 of the link I posted.
It should have brown/pink and red/light green coming into it from the ignition switch and white/light blue leaving to the ignition coil and ignition control module. Edit: and ECM relay.
If it's damaged, it might explain the idle change when you put the truck in gear.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 2,258
Likes: 742
From: Maryland
Also worth checking is your spark plug wire routing, in order to prevent cross fire. Post #12 in this thread.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...crossfire.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...crossfire.html
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 114
Likes: 3
All of the fused links I found in that area look ok and I could not feel any breaks in them. I got it the shielding back on as best I could, yes it is grounded it has a bare ground inside the bundle of shielded wires.
I rerouted the driver side plug wires a little bit, but didn't mess with the passenger side. I have the passenger side spaced out so well.
I rerouted the driver side plug wires a little bit, but didn't mess with the passenger side. I have the passenger side spaced out so well.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 2,258
Likes: 742
From: Maryland
With the blue fusible link in question, I would disconnect the white with light blue wire at the ignition coil and set your volt meter up to read voltage between that wire and battery ground.
Then turn the key to the run position. You should have close to 12 volts.
While the meter is set up, I would move the shifter from park, through the full range of gears, wiggle the fusible link and the wires around it, wiggle the wires under the dash that go to the column mounted ignition switch and turn the steering wheel. Is the key cylinder loose at all? You could try to move it around also.
Have you tested the coil wire to the distributor and the coil itself?
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 2,258
Likes: 742
From: Maryland
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 2,258
Likes: 742
From: Maryland
While you're set up to test that blue fusible link, do the wiggle test at the fusible links that are connected to the fender mounted starter relay, near the battery.
Plower comes from there to your ignition switch.
Plower comes from there to your ignition switch.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 114
Likes: 3
It ran ok this morning then became gutless and idled like the spout was out, so I though since I have been messing with all the wires related to the tfi, that I should pull the spout and see if anything changed. Nothing changed so I hooked up a timing light and sure enough it was running at base timing.
I figured it wasn't getting a spout signal so I start to mess with the ecm connector, nothing happens wiggling it so I hit it and the motor dies. I took the kick panel of and started hit the ecm with the motor running, and it is even easier to cause it to die.
I pull the ecm out and plug it in under the hood so I can move each wire going into the ecm to more easily and nothing happens. I then pushed the connector on the ecm itself to the side with just a little pressure and that kills it every time.
Is it possible it is a broken solder joint on the board? If so is it worth possibly trying to remelt the solder, or would I be better of finding a new computer?
I figured it wasn't getting a spout signal so I start to mess with the ecm connector, nothing happens wiggling it so I hit it and the motor dies. I took the kick panel of and started hit the ecm with the motor running, and it is even easier to cause it to die.
I pull the ecm out and plug it in under the hood so I can move each wire going into the ecm to more easily and nothing happens. I then pushed the connector on the ecm itself to the side with just a little pressure and that kills it every time.
Is it possible it is a broken solder joint on the board? If so is it worth possibly trying to remelt the solder, or would I be better of finding a new computer?
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 2,258
Likes: 742
From: Maryland
It ran ok this morning then became gutless and idled like the spout was out, so I though since I have been messing with all the wires related to the tfi, that I should pull the spout and see if anything changed. Nothing changed so I hooked up a timing light and sure enough it was running at base timing.
I figured it wasn't getting a spout signal so I start to mess with the ecm connector, nothing happens wiggling it so I hit it and the motor dies. I took the kick panel of and started hit the ecm with the motor running, and it is even easier to cause it to die.
I pull the ecm out and plug it in under the hood so I can move each wire going into the ecm to more easily and nothing happens. I then pushed the connector on the ecm itself to the side with just a little pressure and that kills it every time.
Is it possible it is a broken solder joint on the board? If so is it worth possibly trying to remelt the solder, or would I be better of finding a new computer?
I figured it wasn't getting a spout signal so I start to mess with the ecm connector, nothing happens wiggling it so I hit it and the motor dies. I took the kick panel of and started hit the ecm with the motor running, and it is even easier to cause it to die.
I pull the ecm out and plug it in under the hood so I can move each wire going into the ecm to more easily and nothing happens. I then pushed the connector on the ecm itself to the side with just a little pressure and that kills it every time.
Is it possible it is a broken solder joint on the board? If so is it worth possibly trying to remelt the solder, or would I be better of finding a new computer?
Yeah, it could be cracked solder joints on the printed circuit board. I would use a magnifying glass and look at the traces very closely.
Did you already replace the ECM? If so, that would make me think one of the pins (Edit: or sockets) is pushing back and not making a proper connection.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 114
Likes: 3
No, the ecm is the one that was in the truck when i bought it. although it is not the original to the truck. I tryed wiggling the wires indevidualy cause I though it would be a good way to track down a loose pin. All the pins look good to me, some of them seem to have a bit of dielectric grease on them. I was pushing on the red circled part of the conector with my thumbs while I was holding the ecm and you could see it flex a decent bit. the pins in the ecu seem plenty solid they can be moved a little, but not enough to call them loose. I don't se a real good way to check the sockets, but they look pretty good.
I can't find a broken solder join't but I don't guess that means very much.