I've been back tonight-----traced enough wires and unwrapped enough harness tape to find that somewhere in the past some makeshift wiring has taken place. I've got a Red and a White wire feeding the ingnition module, but they have been spliced onto the ends of other wires. Do know that the engine has been changed out in the truck before I purchased it.

The Red/light blue stripe comes out of the start post on the switch-----spliced onto the end of it was a Red wire for connection to the run side of the module. (I was not getting consistant voltage from this wire).

The White wire going to the start side of module was also spliced onto the end of a same colored Red/light blue stripe wire----but apparently wired on a different circuit.

Several makeshift splices----so I can tell somebody had troubles before----got it to running, felt lucky and did no more. Also----as a common denominator, when I changed the starter out----I apparently may have pulled a connection loose, or changed something somewhere along the way that don't fit this makeshift set up.

Am thinking I will run a new White and Red wire straight from ignition switch----and get the feed to the ignition module as it should be. Then go from there and see what I've got. There very easily could be some cross feed or short outs coming through some these connections.

Once I discovered all of the confusion with the wires----it appears that the ignition switch is OK. Ain't got it solved as of yet----but feel like I now know where I am headed now.

Will keep you posted----thanks.

Delta Dirt

 

Mil1on posted earlier that the DSII required a minimum of 8.2 volts to operate.

Question:
In an effort to by-pass all of the makeshift wiring splices, etc. Why can't I run a new RED and WHITE wire straight from the ignition switch to the ignition module----feeding battery voltage (12.5+/-) to both the Red and White terminals. Change out the coil to a "non resistor" dependent 12 volt coil and run a direct battery voltage (12.5+/-) wire straight from the switch to the + post on the coil. This senario would give me new wiring all the way through and by pass the old wiring altogether.

Will this effect module via the Green "signal" wire from the module to the tach post on the coil?? Apparently the module will "break" the fire while in Start mode (12+ volts)-----but would the module hold up "breaking" 12 volts in the Run mode??

If I could locate where the ballast resistor wire begins----I could run a fresh wire straight into it and still end up with the lower voltage during the Run mode. So far---have not been able to locate the ballast resistor wire.

Nothing remains constant in the testing process----most probably from the numerous "makeshift" splicing of wires that I uncovered; or possibly the module itself is bad. I do have a Motorcraft module coming from Ford tomorrow morning---to remove that option of doubt from the picture.

Any thoughts on the above thinking.

Delta Dirt

 

Do not run the white wire to the switch. Voltage on the white wire all the time will make the engine timing run retarded. The white wire is hooked to the red/blue wire going to the solenoid. The white wire only gets voltage during cranking.

If you go to the parts store, ask to buy a white ballast resistor for a Chrysler product. Then you can run a straight wire from the switch to the resistor which mounts on the firewall(it gets hot) and then a wire to the coil you have now.

The resistor for the Ford is supposed to be 1.05 to 1.15 ohms. People have been using the Chrysler resistor with no apparent problems, but you can measure one if you need to.

 

Franklin---

Didn't make myself fully clear----I would run the White wire out of the "start" post on the switch so that it would only be hot when the switch was in start. ----and would also need to run a White wire direct from the "start" post on switch to the + post on coil (or splice in behind resistor in order to get 12 volts at coil for start mode.

Just keep thinking I need to bypass as much of the old wiring as possible---too much variations in when I've got voltage and as to how much voltage is there.

Thanks for the tip on the Chrysler resistor---think I will pick one up.

Delta Dirt

 

Nope, can't do the above.

You can run the white wire to the start post on the ignition like you mentioned. Run it to the switch, or run it to the wire when it reaches the solenoid, no difference.

But you can't run a wire from the start post to the coil + for resistor bypass. What will happen is when you let off the key when the engine starts, you will have run voltage through the resistor to the coil. This will backfeed down your white wire and the starter will stay engaged and run all the time.

I have forgotten what vehicle you are working on, but the early vehicles had a starter solenoid with two small terminals. One of the terminals is "s" for triggering the solenoid to send power to the starter, and the other small terminal is "i" which receives 12 volts during cranking. The "i" terminal is were the coil + is hooked for the resistor bypass.

Later vehicles had an ignition switch with a seperate special contact in the switch just for the resistor bypass. These vehicles are the ones with the duraspark ignition, and have only the one "s" terminal on the solenoid.

 

Good news for a change-----installed new Motorcraft module and ran new wires with the Chrysler" resistor going to coil. Cranked right off-----left it running for 20---30 minutes to make sure it wasn't going to heat up and cut off. Looks OK-----cranks right back off. I need to hook up timing light and adjust timing-----but believe I'm on go.

After everything is smoothed out and all wiring is taped off----I will substitue one of the "bad" modules to see if it was actually the module or the wiring. I'm betting on the wiring.

And just so ya'll can get the last laugh on this old redneck-----I didn't realize that the "Chrysler" resistor had a protective coating on it that was going to burn off. After hooking up----I kept smelling something hot----saw the resistor smoking----thought I was shorting something out----so I jerked the new wires loose. Turned out it was just burning off the protective coating. Jimmy at NAPA laughed like hell!! LOL

I don't think as good as I once did (two strokes and alot of gray hair now)----but got to thinking that sometime in the past I had seen some of the diagrams posted up. Sure enough----got to digging at the office and found my old Haynes manual from back when I had a '84 Bronco (ran it for over 300,000 miles). For future reference----the '89 model F-700 had the same Duraspark II setup as the '84 Bronco and F-150s. I am thinking that the '89 model F-150s and Broncos carried the later systems.

Hope to be on the road again shortly-----Thanks to everyone for all of your help and advise.

Delta Dirt
Avon Ms 38723