My project had created yet another nitemare for me. I was driving it yesterday and it shut off and hasn't fired up since. I crank away on it and nothing happens. It's getting fuel just fine, holding 8psi of pressure. My problem is the spark, it's not getting there correctly. I'm using a duraspark ignition which is pretty simple but I'm stumped. When I start cranking with the starter I get a single spark from the coil and that's it. When I turn the ignition off I get another spark making for some impressive flames out the exhaust. I tried a different coil with the same results. I changed the plugs, the timing is fine, the distributor only has 1200 miles on it. The only thing I haven't tried to rule out was the breakerless ignition box because I didn't have a spare. The back of it isn't boiled and it shows no signs of failure. Checked all my wiring and it seems fine. I have a week to think it out til I see the truck again and I'll try my multimeter on the harness too. I'm baffled that it does spark but it won't spark when the engine is cranking or running. Any ideas?

Matt

 

Ignition module is very likely. Coil could be bad too, but it's not as likely IMHO.
The module is prone to failure. Also if it's not installed properly with thermal grease on the distributor, it will overheat and destroy itself.

8 PSI is way too low for a fuel injected system. You should have like 30 psi here. If that reading's correct you have a fuel pressure regulator or fuel pump problem.

 

I'm using the older Duraspark system and a carb, sorry I should have mentioned that in the above. The module I'm thinking of is the duraspark box that mounts remotely. This system is pre-Matt era and I don't know how they fail. I don't know why I'm having this problem, the engine only has 1200 miles on it since the swap was completed. The coil sparks when the engine is first cranked and again when the ignition is shut off...it has me baffled.

Matt

 

I would change that Duraspark module. They do go bad and rarely show any external signs. A new one is somewhere around 25-30 bucks. If you can, get one with the blue grommet.

If you have access to one to try out, you can test it that way. They're really interchangable. I keep a couple of them laying around, scrounge one whenever I'm ripping something apart or just stumble across one. I've converted every Ford I have that originally had points to Duraspark.