Lost spark
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From: Blue Springs, MO
Lost spark
I’ve just recently changed my distributor cap, rotor, plugs, and wires. I changed them all at the same time and they have about 100 miles on them. Last week I was cruising down the interstate at about 70-75 MPH. the truck seemed to be running well then all of the sudden it just quit. I turns over nice and strong but I haven't been able to get it to start up again. I’ve checked the spark coming out of the coil, it is strong but it is an orange color. I also checked for a spark coming from the #5 plug wire and can’t get anything. Is there something I should check before I pull the D cap?
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From: Yokosuka, Honshu, Japan
Check the spark plug wire itself. Normally, when you "lose spark" the pickup or the TFI module on the distributor have failed. The orange color may indicate plug wire problems or coil problems... but may be due to a bad pickup or TFI module. I would do the checks on the TFI module and coil, as well as check out the wires and spark plug gaps first. What wires / plugs, etc. did you install?
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From: Blue Springs, MO
I replaced all six spark plugs and wires and the wire from the coil to the distributor cap. I also replaced the distributor cap and rotor. I'll check the wires and coil this evening (Tuesday).
Last edited by sailorjohn; Jul 17, 2007 at 05:54 AM.
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From: Yokosuka, Honshu, Japan
Check that, and also your TFI module and pickup -- I can't remember if there are procedures for both in the tech info section or not, but that is what it's looking like leaning towards, IMO.
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From: Blue Springs, MO
Have you ever heard of this:
Well I pulled the distributor cap off this evening. I found that the metal conductor spring in the rotor was gone. Where it went to or how it got out of the rotor or for that matter the distributor cap I don’t know!
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From: Blue Springs, MO
Well I dug the rotor parts out from under the plate and replaced the rotor. I took the truck out for a drive and as soon as I left the driveway I new that it wasn't going to go far it was just running to rough and had very little power. I pulled back in the drive way and reset the timing to 10 D BTC. It runs smother now and I was able to take it for a test drive and also drive it to work this morning but it is really lacking power. The only thing different now than before I had the rotor problems is I had pulled an old coil from a different truck and put on this one (this is the coil with the orange spark) I am assuming that the coil is what is keeping me from having the power that I had a week ago and will change back to the original coil this weekend
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From: Yokosuka, Honshu, Japan
I don't think I've seen that one first-hand, but I would definitely do an LP air blow-down of or vacuum out the inside of the distributor top before replacing the rotor, just so the pickup or anything else doesn't get damaged. Hopefully, the spring didn't already damage anything when it broke off -- unless somehow it arced off. I'm wondering if it is a moisture problem that caused it.
EDIT: Glad to hear you got it back together. Yeah, you may want to swap the coils out and see if that's the issue. You may also want to (if you haven't already) re-check all your plugs to see if there isn't anything amiss, as well as the wires. The rotor coming apart may have caused other failures or problems.
EDIT: Glad to hear you got it back together. Yeah, you may want to swap the coils out and see if that's the issue. You may also want to (if you haven't already) re-check all your plugs to see if there isn't anything amiss, as well as the wires. The rotor coming apart may have caused other failures or problems.
Last edited by kernel-panic; Jul 20, 2007 at 09:40 AM.
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