1986 F-150 4x4
L6 300ci
C6 Bulletproof
NP205

Well this truck is eating my money...and quickly...at this rate I'm better off driving my 84' with a 351 getting less than 8MPG

Alright....First problem...I drove home yesterday...the truck was bucking all the way...unless I was ON the pedal...I go to shut it off...and...it doesn't shut off...I ended up putting a bag over the carb to suffocate it...then I checked my ignition wiring...it appears to be ok...I didn't have a test light handy and it was getting rather late. I come out this morning...and I can hear the idiot buzzer going...and the dash lights are lit up like a christmas tree...obviously...the ignition isn't turning off with the key...Anyone have a diagram or instruction to access the ignition in the column?

Second...while I'm driving...the ECM is clicking at me...much like a hazard light relay would...I also hear something shirting out....but I tore the dash apart and found no exposed wiring.

Third...my main wiring harness that goes across the engine is SHOT...I had to band-aide my coil + and - to get home about a month ago...but the truck was fine until the other day...I can't find a new or good wiring harness with the pigtails...Anybody have a good wiring parts source...

I'd really like to get away with not rewireing the whole truck...this is a winter banger and its comming apart at the seems body and rust wise.

One last note...All this started when I did the valve cover gasket, but I made sure to check and replace vaccum lines where needed, and I made sure they are all good and hooked up proporly.

Any Type of Advice or diagrams....or anything will be greatly appreciated...I spent over two hours searhing through the fourums for something similar...but really didn't turn anything quite like this...

 

I would make sure the linkage is operating the ignition switch correctly. The ignition switch is mounted on top of the column, underneath the dash. There is a bunch of linkage pieces and one piece that likes to break if you have a tilt column, from the key tumbler, all the way down to the ignition switch. Also the ignition switch is not very expensive if you want to replace it.

Another common problem with this setup, especially in cold weather, is the spring return is not very strong, so after you start the truck, the keyswitch may not return to the proper run position. This puts the ignition switch in a weird "inbetween" position, and certain electrical problems will occur, and some stuff will not work, unless you lightly wiggle the key to seat it back into the proper run position.

 

Yeah I would suspect something like that too as my 84' ahd the same issue, both with tilt linkage and the return spring...but this truck has a standard sttering column no tilt...and the key always comes back on its own...and I can hear the bar retracting from the ignition switch... I'm more worried about the ECM clicking at me and the engine cutting in and out with the clicks...

 

http://www.skycraftsurplus.com/index...TS&Category=24
http://www.sherco-auto.com/cg.htm
I would get the wiring back in stock form and replace as much of it as you felt
you could. Check all your grounds starting at the battery to the motor and frame
main grounds then go over all the wiring and find the small wires that ground the
different circuits and actually remove and clean then apply dielecetric and torque
them down tight.
Under the dash are several grounds and should be checked too!!
If you have a bad ground on one component it will try to search for ground anyway
possible and it can end up in some weird things happening. Since you say it is a
winter beater the moisture and the salt from the roads will wreak havoc on the wiring
and some contact cleaner and dielectric on all the connectors etc. Would be a good
idea.
http://store.caig.com/s.nl;jsessioni...2&category=292
That stuff will clean and put a layer of protector on the metal to keep it making
good contact for along time.