85 ford 460 - just stops ??? Help

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Aug 22, 2006 | 01:09 PM

russell1313

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85 ford 460 - just stops ??? Help

My 1985 F250 has been running great. Last Friday I was about 100 miles from home and filled up both tanks. I was about 2 miles from the gas station when my truck just quit running. No sputter or back fire. I switched tanks and the truck seemed to run OK. I finished work and started back home. About every 20 miles the same quiting would happen. I also noticed that the Tachometer was going crazy- 0-3000 rpm and then would start working again.

I am assuming that the problem is electrical but not sure where to start.

I use this truck for work and am worried about even driving it to a garage.

Aug 22, 2006 | 03:30 PM

81-F-150-Explorer

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From: Northern California

It sounds like it might be the ignition module.

The ignition Modules Especially the TFI-IV ignition, tend to stop working when they get hot. (the engine stops like a flick of a switch). When the module cools down it will run fine again until it heats back up.

Since the tach is acting up at the same time, and the ignition module is hooked into the tach through wires...

I would check the module first.

Hope this helps,

Aug 22, 2006 | 04:18 PM

Garcia

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From: Eastern Washington state

I agree with the ignition module as the first suspect. I've had several vehicles where the engine dies right at highway speed. Car cools for half hour or so and starts up like nothing's wrong. Its usually a metallic colored box about the size of a tape deck, mounted under the hood on the wheel well. Good luck

Aug 22, 2006 | 05:01 PM

russell1313

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Thank you guys, on my way to NAPA now.

Aug 22, 2006 | 05:38 PM

82F100SWB

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From: Dryden, ON, Canada

Either the ignition module, or the coil itself will cause those symptoms. I'd bet on the coil, as a DS-II box usually flat out dies rather than acting up.

Aug 22, 2006 | 10:47 PM

littleme13

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be sure the check the coil wires reakky good i just ofund one of mine grounding itself to the block and it was causeing my 85 460 to do the same thing it was shorting on the fron edge of the black

tony

Aug 23, 2006 | 02:20 PM

kermmydog

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From: Western Central NV

I had a problem like this that drove my more insane than normal. It would run great then just quit. Most of the time it would start after a short time. THE PROBLEM WAS THE DISTRIBUTOR bushing wore allowing the trigger to get to close to the stator killing it. The thing that really threw me was it was a new NAPA rebuilt DIST.

Aug 28, 2006 | 08:07 PM

jam460

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I have an 85 460 which my dad bought new. He had this problem when the truck was about a year old. It would just quit intermittently and then would start back up 10 - 15 minutes later. The dealership chased it for a couple months before changing the ignition module. Since then, no problems.