Advice on what went wrong...
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
Likes: 2
From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Here's the update.
Distributor. I pulled it to take it into Auto Zone and smelled inside the cap... and smelled a burnt electrical smell. I had a pretty good idea I had nailed this one to the board.
Finally 5 hours later I get home, throw it in, and shes running.
Distributor. I pulled it to take it into Auto Zone and smelled inside the cap... and smelled a burnt electrical smell. I had a pretty good idea I had nailed this one to the board.
Finally 5 hours later I get home, throw it in, and shes running.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
Likes: 2
From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Well.... maybe not. It ran fine at first. Let it warm up for about 10 minutes, and it's doing the same thing, only now it's more tempermental. The only time it will run fine is if it's advanced too far and will ping when you hit the pedal.
I'm going to test the ignition module and see if maybe it's bad. It seems like the computer is advancing or retarding it too far to where it's totally off the rotor before it fires.
One more thing, it does this even with the Spout pulled. In fact, I will set the timing and it will run decent until I plug the spout in, which is when I can tell it's too far advanced.
I'm at a loss now. At least it will run and sometimes let me hammer it. I'll figure this one out eventually...
I'm going to test the ignition module and see if maybe it's bad. It seems like the computer is advancing or retarding it too far to where it's totally off the rotor before it fires.
One more thing, it does this even with the Spout pulled. In fact, I will set the timing and it will run decent until I plug the spout in, which is when I can tell it's too far advanced.
I'm at a loss now. At least it will run and sometimes let me hammer it. I'll figure this one out eventually...
Thread Starter
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
Likes: 2
From: West Mansfield, Ohio
I don't have the original distributor. The pickup sensor in it went out whenever I touched a couple wires together that shouldn't have been crossed.
I did that in July, and went to Auto Zone and bought another distributor for $98. Now whenever all this started happening the other day, I assumed it was the distributor again. Since it was under warranty (lifetime,) I got another one today, and it didn't help. The only reason it ran well to begin with was because I had it too far advanced whenever I put the new one in. It didn't ping because it was still cold. Once it warmed up, she pinged a bit. Since it pinged, I retarded the timing just a touch, and now it's back to what it was doing again.
I've come to the conclusion that the timing is walking all over the place. I'm going tomorrow to test the ignition module and get a new cap/rotor. We'll see what happens. In the meantime, there's beer and pizza calling my name
.
I did that in July, and went to Auto Zone and bought another distributor for $98. Now whenever all this started happening the other day, I assumed it was the distributor again. Since it was under warranty (lifetime,) I got another one today, and it didn't help. The only reason it ran well to begin with was because I had it too far advanced whenever I put the new one in. It didn't ping because it was still cold. Once it warmed up, she pinged a bit. Since it pinged, I retarded the timing just a touch, and now it's back to what it was doing again.
I've come to the conclusion that the timing is walking all over the place. I'm going tomorrow to test the ignition module and get a new cap/rotor. We'll see what happens. In the meantime, there's beer and pizza calling my name
.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
Likes: 2
From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Well, here we go.
It's fixed. Really. I promise. It's funny how a 5.99 rotor can cause so many problems. I bought the cap, rotor, and a MAP sensor just for kicks because someone mentioned that in here earlier. Came home, threw the rotor in (and just the rotor), and fired it up. She fired up nice, just like it did last night when I replaced the distributor. So I let it sit and warm up for a while. Went back out, mashed the pedal and away she went. It was a little too far advanced, so I retarded it a touch, and away I went. Ran a couple laps around the field across the hard dirt and ice, went to the road, and headed 30 miles North to visit my Mom! Didn't miss a lick the whole way up, or back.
Merry Christmas everyone!
It's fixed. Really. I promise. It's funny how a 5.99 rotor can cause so many problems. I bought the cap, rotor, and a MAP sensor just for kicks because someone mentioned that in here earlier. Came home, threw the rotor in (and just the rotor), and fired it up. She fired up nice, just like it did last night when I replaced the distributor. So I let it sit and warm up for a while. Went back out, mashed the pedal and away she went. It was a little too far advanced, so I retarded it a touch, and away I went. Ran a couple laps around the field across the hard dirt and ice, went to the road, and headed 30 miles North to visit my Mom! Didn't miss a lick the whole way up, or back.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
Likes: 2
From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Hahaha hey now! I didn't think a rotor would cause the timing to walk all over God's green acre. Maybe that was just the computer's way of compensating, who knows. I'll try to stop breaking stuff! At 233,500 she's feeling a little old!
Merry Christmas to you too QL2!
Merry Christmas to you too QL2!
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 805
Likes: 3
Think about it. You're connecting to #1 plug wire to get your trigger for timing, AFTER the rotor. If the spark's late getting there, or doesn't get there at all, what do you think it's going to do for the timing light?
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Thread Starter
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Who ever said anything about a timing light? The rotor was the problem, end of story! I never used a timing light to check timing. At least not when the problem started.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
I wasn't really checking the timing. I didn't touch the distributor when it died on me, up until it was time to replace it. When I put the new one in, I fired it up and timed it by ear. I checked it today at my buddy's house and it's right at 11 degrees BTDC. I've got a good ear for timing engines
.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
No fire eh? Nothing from the coil? Go to Auto Zone and buy the "Ford Ignition Module Removal" tool. It consits of a T-20 Torx on one side and a 7/32 hex on the other, and looks like this: 
. Small picture I know, but it's all I could find. Your ignition module sits inside an aluminum block with fins on the drivers side inner fender well. There's a flat plug that plugs into it. There's two holes in the module with bolts inside that mount the module to the block, hence why you need that tool to remove them. You'll use the 7/32" hex side of the wrench. Take it back to Auto Zone or even Advance and have them test it. If it tests good, then check your coil.
. Small picture I know, but it's all I could find. Your ignition module sits inside an aluminum block with fins on the drivers side inner fender well. There's a flat plug that plugs into it. There's two holes in the module with bolts inside that mount the module to the block, hence why you need that tool to remove them. You'll use the 7/32" hex side of the wrench. Take it back to Auto Zone or even Advance and have them test it. If it tests good, then check your coil.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
Likes: 2
From: West Mansfield, Ohio
I don't believe the EEC controls spark at all.
The ignition module gets a signal from the distributor to determine crank/cam position, and then sends power to the coil to fire it. Might want to check all of your grounds starting at the battery... and at any other point on the inside of the fender, engine, everywhere.
Maybe Subford will chime in and shed some light. He knows these ignition systems real well. But I wouldn't bank on it being your computer.
The ignition module gets a signal from the distributor to determine crank/cam position, and then sends power to the coil to fire it. Might want to check all of your grounds starting at the battery... and at any other point on the inside of the fender, engine, everywhere.
Maybe Subford will chime in and shed some light. He knows these ignition systems real well. But I wouldn't bank on it being your computer.