I am new to the site and would greatly appreciate any help. My problem is that I get no spark from the coil and am wondering if the distribitor pick up is bad and if so can I replace it without removing it from the vehicle.

 

If the pickup (PIP) is bad you have to remove the distributor to change it. It's much esier to just get the whole distributor. It could also be the ICM, but that can be tested at the parts store.

 

Thanks for the help. Do you know where the ICM is located?

 

It depends on the year, which you didn't give. Either bolted to the distributor or on the drivers side inner fender.

 

I have replaced the ICM and still no spark. How do I replace the distribitor pick up. Sorry keep forgetting, 96 5.0

 

You have to remove the distributor and take it apart. The gear has to come off the bottom so the shaft can be removed.

 

To follow up a bit more on Sean's comment - yep, the gear has to come off.

The challenge is that the varnish buildup makes it difficult. The distributor shaft needs to be spotlessly clean to allow the gear to slide off. Beating on the gear usually results in its destruction. Don't forget to knock the pin out holding the gear in place.

The advice to just buy a replacement distributor with a new PIP already installed has its upside and downside. The upside is the ease and the frustration avoided. The downside is the cost.

My Chilton's manual lists an acceptable resistance of 800-975 ohms for the PIP. I mention this since no mention was given about testing the coil or the coil wire, or investigation of any of the other possibilities that could result in a no-spark situation. Random parts replacement is not only expensive, but opens the door for introducing another problem should a good part be replaced with a bad-out-of-the-box part.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

I have checked the resistance in the coil and PIP and both are within limits per the charts I got from the auto store. I still get no spark while cranking. Any ideas as I do not own a manual.

 

Hmmmm, do you get spark from the coil wire? Wag'ging (WildAssGuessing) a problem with the distributor cap / rotor?

Keep at it - if you don't know what it is, then figure out what it ain't :-)

 

no spark from coil wire. Rotor is brand new.