Bibo1985

Oh, one last iota of my idiotic suggestions; do you have dual tanks? If so, have you tested the switch or made sure it was on the right one? I know that SHOULDN'T affect your spark, BUT, could be a safety feature to avoid those dreaded lean misfires via your computer. My tank switch has been replaced with a 3 position switch, so I have a dead setting, but you can hit a dead spot on a 2 position switch as well. Again, I know it sounds dumb, but I've seen/said/done/repaired much dumber problems.

topconsurveyor

Bibo1985,

I tested the female part of the plug like you said but it was the plug going into the coil not the distributor.

Thanks,
topconsurveyor

Bibo1985

My fault, I meant coil. Too much work, too lil sleep, think I'm gettin "dain bramage"
Sorry I couldn't help, things like that are always a pain. I'm lost, sorry.

topconsurveyor

I'm about to go out and run the tests on the remote mounted ICM and then the PIP tests. I'm just not trusting this Haynes book very much now but its all I have.

I did some further research on the ICM used in 1996 and from what I'm reading the parts stores will sell me the wrong ICM for this year of truck and I can only get the right one from a Ford dealership.

I will post back in coupe hours with test results...

Thanks,
topconsurveyor

btw, i don't think anything is wrong with the dual fuel tank switch because I can hear the fuel pump kick on when i turn the key forward. The fuel pump and/or sending unit on the front tank did go out a few months ago and I've been puttin off replacing it because its about $400 to replace the front pump and sending unit. I've just been running off the rear tank which also has the problem of it siphoning gas to the front tank while diving so now I have a full 19 gallon tank of gas in my front tank that I cant use.

topconsurveyor

Well,

Tested the power supply to the ICM and it tested good 11.7 volts, tested power supply to the PIP and it tested good 11.7 volts, then I did the PIP signal test by inserting a straight pin in the #1 wire from the distributor cable and I think the book said it should be between like 3.5 - 8.0 volts AC while turning the engine over, I'm getting about 5.0 volts AC with key in run position, but then it jumps to about 60 volts AC when turning the engine over.

I still dont know if I cant trust what this book says though, any ideas?


Thanks,
topconsurveyor

ridge903

Hmmmm you definately have a tricky one this is definately why i hate electrical issues let me ponder this one for awhile

fordman2011

I have a 1996 f150 4x4 with the inline 6 4.9L.. Well seems my truck has did the same thing.. today i went to the store.. come out started my truck and started to back up and my truck dies.. it just died , no sputer or nothing just quit .. go to restart it and no fire.. will turn over, just not getting any fire to coil or plugs.. i put a new coil on it and still nothing.. could the crank shaft sensor be causing all this??

topconsurveyor

Thanks for everyone's input on this, I started from the beginning in the Haynes book ignition diagnosis and tried everything, finally got it figured it out at 3am last night...and it was the pickup coil inside the distributor. Replaced it it fired right up, set the timing and I was good to go.

The strangest thing though is that my truck (E4OD 4x4 auto trans) always had problems with the transmission, when I would stop at a stop sign or whatever the truck would not downshift, I had to manually shift down to 2nd gear just to take off and no matter what it would not shift all the way down to first gear (even manually) unless I put it in 4wd Low 1. After replacing the ignition coil, the ignition control module, and then finally the pickup coil in the distributor to fix the no spark issue took it for test drive and decided the timing needed to be set within the limits. Set the timing sounded much much better took for another test drive and low and behold...THE TRANSMISSION IS HEALED!!! It shifts so smooth now all the way up and down and gas mileage improved dramatically!!

fordman2011 I would try first thing test the pip signal output wire from the distributor to the negative batt terminal while cranking and if theres no AC voltage then it's the pickup coil for sure, save yourself a few days of bangin your head against the wall and try that first



Thanks again to everyone and I'll probably be back with more questions soon I'm about to start on the rest of the trucks problems now, leaf spring hangars on one side are smashed back an inch or so making the rear axle out of alignment and the other side has a broken leaf, also has a broken coil spring in the front and all kinds of other noises coming from the front end. Also the fuel pump and sending unit need replaced on the front fuel tank. Thats all I can think of right now, but I know theres a few more items.

Thanks,
topconsurveyor

topconsurveyor

Also fordman2011 during my research on this issue I thought the same thing about the crank position sensor but I learned the CPS on this truck is not used for ignition, the CPS is only used for a misfire detection.

topconsurveyor

fordman2011

WELL im glad you got yours going.. mine was the distributor also.. the magnet blow apart.. put a new one on it last night and it runs like a top now.. i do have alot of new parts on my truck now now lol. dont know how i over looked the messed up distributor.. had it off 4 times.. but ohwell , it is fixed now..