I finally got my truck back together to the point where i can start the engine again, and low and behold no spark. i tried a different coil, a different ignition box, the distributer and rotor are fine, and it is turning over freely. i'm getting gas. since the truck is gutted right now, i'm running on a minimum of wires. i have the three wires going from the distributer to the ignition box. there are two more wires going from the ignition box that end in a connection that doesn't connect to anything. that leaves me with three wires hooked up, and i have the battery hooked up to the starter directly so i don't have to worry about anything except getting spark. someone help me, what am i missing? once i'm certain that the truck will run, i'll start working on a new wiring harness to go with the new dash, etc. please please help soon, i'm only home on leave for a little while.

edit: sorry, its an 83 f-150, check the gallery for more info on the buildup.

 

It souns like your not getting any voltage to the ignition system. Normally there are a couple of wires that run from the battery side of the starter relay that go to the ignition switch. The ignition module was two connections, one goes to the distributor ( which I think you said was connected) and another one that connects to the wiring harness that goes into the cab by the steeering column.

 

thats what my next step of elimination was. the cab has no wiring right now, so i'm in the process of stripping the remnants of the original wiring off the original cab to see what i can manage. everyone keep their fingers crossed. i'll let you know how/if everything turns out

 

The white w/light blue goes from the ignition switch to the ignition module.

The light green goes from the module to the coil neg.

 

I had a flakey ignition switch once that made the truck just quit at any given time. Usually it would quit and fire itself right back up again as long as I was still moving. It finally got to where I would try to start it and it would turn over, but not catch. I did the same thing you did, changed the solenoid, igbox, regulator, coil, cap, blah, blah, blah!

It was a bad starter switch for me. I got a new one from LMC Truck, been fine since.

 

i'm running out of ideas. i've checked the ignition module and the coil and both are good. it turns over just great. i'm bypassing the solenoid and just using a direct connection between the battery and the starter. i've tried two spare complete wiring harnesses. nothing is working. i'm about to break down and go for a whole new ignition system unless someone has a simple wiring method. i've done searches to no avail. i'm desperate and really need to get this truck up and running again.

 

Post it in the electrical forum. Frankin or Subford will fix you up.