canc3r

ok well to start off, a year ago my truck started acting up. when i would drive it soemtimes it would shut off as if i turned off the key and wouldnt start again for hours. that stopped for a while and i had an issue with oil pressure. we cleaned the screen on the oil pump and the issue resolved.

after a while the truck stopped starting at all and it was throwing code for the distributor. So that was replaced. then i wasnt getting spark to the coil. so i replaced that, and nothing. then a friend hooked up an ecu from another f150 and it started up so. i replaced that and also the ignition control modual.

So in the past month ive replaced the distributor, the ignition control modual, the coil, and the computer in the truck. as soon as i put the new computer in it fired up and sounded great it ran all day no problem then twords the end of the day the battery meter started jumping a little bit and i got home and parked it. tried to go to the store about an hour later and nothing. not getting spark from coil again.

then this morning i go and it starts right up. but the battery meter jumps a bit.

if anyone has any idea what might be causing these issues, there driving me nuts!

canc3r

well this afternoon after it cooled down outside i tried to start the truck once again it started right up so its obviously somehting that would be affected by heat. any ideas?

wde3477

You've already nailed the typical suspects on the ignition side. A couple of other suggestions are either a faulty new component or a wiring/connector problem. Not smelling fuel during these no-start conditions would suggest a problem with the fuel injection circuitry to investigate.

The jumpy voltmeter has me wondering if something goofy isn't happening with the ignition switch, located at the base of the steering column.

Just to confirm - when you say it won't start - I take that to mean it turns over but doesn't light off?

canc3r

exactly it will crank and crank but not actually start. the ignition switch is really the only thing left that i can think of besides a short somewhere. i have read for hour and hours and many people have had this problem with this engine. yet there are no posts on anyone ever getting it fixed or how they fixed it.

how would i go about finding a short? if indeed this is the case.

wde3477

Suggest you have an open circuit, rather than a short - that is, a connection isn't completed, as opposed to being tied to something it shouldn't be.

Wiggling wires and inspecting connections and wires is about as far as I can help long-distance. Tedious, yes. Being an intermittent problem increases the degree of difficulty - I would much rather something just fail completely rather than a now-you-see-me, now-you-don't scenario.

Perhaps some of the other users, particularly those experienced with this type of issue, will be along shortly to help out.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

canc3r

could my problem be the coil not grounding? the truck started just now and i drove it down a bumpy road near my house and it died after about 100 feet and i "wiggled the wires" around the coil a bit and it started up for about 45 seconds i got in closed the door and it died again ... now its stuck on a street with a bunch of crack addicts yay!

tried for the last 25 mintues to simulate "wiggle wire start" and no success

Just call me Sean

iTrader: (1)

The coil is fired by the ground, so if the wiggling did it then it was the positive side. My coil power wire separated inside the harness and the coil lost power.

canc3r

traced wires from the coil to the distributor and they seem to be fine nothing loose or exposed. also when i just got it running it was running like crap like idleing wieird and sounding like it was gonna crap out.
then it did and now theres not spark again. when i test the pos feed of the coil im only getting 8-9v instead of the 12v that the haynes manual says i need

94'snap

What about running a new positive jumper wire to the coil to see if the power wire is actual bad?

canc3r

did that yesterday and it didnt spark still so i think its either the icm or the ecu i bought is faulty and im gonna replace those both again friday