Ok.....my husband is asking this question.

A few months ago, he drove his 83 E 150 302/auto conversion van to Parker and back. Ran fine. He got home and turned it off...came back 10 minutes later and it would not start. It does not seem it be firing.

He was told this was the first year Ford put a computer in it. Does not have a regular distributer. he does not know if it a stator, coil, computer or "what".

He hates mechaniking (takes him away from swordmaking) but is a decent one....despite this aversion. But prefers regular "nuts and bolts" than later "electronics that need a rocket scientist to figure out". But if you cannot trust the local mechanic...you have to do stuff yourself.

Thank you in advance for any insights.

 

Have him go to the junk yard and find an E250 or e350 of the same vintage with the duraspark 2 system (it'll say DURASPARK II on the vacuum sticker on the core support. That or go buy a new ignition module. There are ways to find out what's going on in the computer, but they're hard to do and only a minor help at best. It could be a crank or cam position sensor too......

 

I think he ment DURASPARK III not 2 but if he has the Computer system (California Van) 1983 was not the first year for this system.

He more than likely has a bad Ignition module with the brown insulator on the underside.
Replace it with a Ignition module with the brown insulator on the underside only.
DO NOT USE ONE WITH A BLUE INSULATOR!!!!

He could convert it over to a DURASPARK II system.

This would mean changing out the Distributor, and puting in a DURASPARK II module along with some engine wiring from a DURASPARK II truck or Van.

In 1982 Ford dropped the Dura Spark I and introduced the Dura Spark III. This system is based on Electronic Engine Control (EEC). The EEC system controls spark advance in response to various engine sensors. This includes a crankshaft position sensor which replaces the stator and armature assembly in the distributor. Dura Spark II is the version used in all states except California. Dura Spark I and III are the systems used in California V8's only. Basically, the only difference between the two is that the coil charging currents are higher in the California vehicles. This is necessary to fire the leaner fuel/air mixtures required by California's stricter emission laws. The difference in coils alters some of the test values.

This system uses the Ignition module with the brown insulator on the underside. The plugs are also different.

If the computer (ECA) is under the seat it is most likely to be an EEC-III engine.


A few ways to confirm EEC-III:
1. It will be listed as such on the decal on the upper radiator support bracket.
2. The ignition module has a brown grommet.
3. The distributor rotor is disk shaped and has electrodes on both sides.
4. There is no vacuum or mechanical advance mechanism on the distributor.
5. There is a ring with 4 lobes behind the harmonic balancer.


The ECA control's the ignition timing and advance. It gets a signal from a Crankshaft Position Sensor mounted over the 4 lobed Pulse Ring. The CPS is a simple coil wound magnet. If it fails, the engine won't start. You can easily test it in place with an ohm meter. It should test 100-640 ohms. If it tests open circuit, it's failed and is easy to replace.


If someone unfamiliar with this type of ignition did something as simple as change the plug wires without knowing what they were doing, it could make the engine run rough or not at all.


The firing order is normal 351w:
CCW 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8


The the order the wires are arranged on the cap is:
CCW 1-5-7-8-6-3-4-2


This is because the EEC-III distributor has electrodes on both sides of the rotor. So it fires alternately from both sides. So even though it's wired in a different order, if you go back and fourth from one side to the other, the firing order is the same.

EEC-III is often misunderstood because it is overshadowed by the greater number of the more simple Dura Spark II ignition. EEC-III (Dura Spark III) is more complex, but is capable of controlling the ignition advance up to a maximum of 50 degrees advance and control the engine more efficiently. It was used in both carbureted and fuel injected engines.

Oh, and yes, there is a relay on the ECA to protect it from reversed battery polarity.

 

Hello subford

Thanks for this detailed info. My husband just told me it does not have a mechanical advance mechanism on the distributor. So it just might be a III but will know better after checking tomorrow in the daylight (Midnight right now)

 

Bumping this thread up and calling it "solved".

After posting my last post, the van still wouldn't fire. So......it sat until yesterday. Up til then, we had been driving my son's Dodge 86 van. My husband has a bum knee and really hated driving it because of the difficulty getting in and out of driver's side because of its' cabin "over the wheel well" design. (Ford has a better cabin design)

Friday night, a friend called wanting to come over Saturday with her boyfriend, to visit my husband's Arms&Armour blacksmith shop. Turned out her boyfriend was a local auto shop mechanic. He and my husband talked abit over the phone and agreed to take a look at the van.

Well, he found out what the van's ignition problem was. The ignition module sensor wire fell off the battery. Something my husband was not aware of nor knew what to look for to trace back.

It leads from between the ignition module that's located on the passenger side compartment to the battery. At some point it dropped off during that last ride. My husband was sure the problem had to do with the ignition module (he checked and tried everything else) but with so many wires to track down....argh!

At least his Ford is running now and my son gets his Dodge back. My husband feels like if it twern't for his bum knee

 

Dang! Where did my manners go running off too.....

My deepest thanks to subford and pfogle for your suggestions, tips and advice though!

 

"My husband just told me it does not have a mechanical advance mechanism on the distributor."

On 'The Oven' my black E-150 Panel, the mechanical advance adjustment is made by means of an allen screw about 40 degrees left of the vacuum advance diaphragm. Sine mine's an '81 with the EEC I box it's realatively simple but with Ford in those days switching from EEC I, to EEC II, to EEC III in quick succession it seems there were some issues abounding as evidenced by Ford's service bulletins for the years '81 - '85

 

subford, nice post. went to rep ya but I have to spread it around.