@Steve83 Thanks for the info, the left wire had a bare spot, about 1-2 cm right at the connector, and a couple frayed wires, the right had a bare spot almost 1.5 inches long from the connector back.
Do you have any suggestions as to the extra wire on the new connector. i am going to replace it anyways as the clip was broken, and the connector itself was cracked.

 

I'm having a hard time visualizing it - post a well-lit focused pic of the new connector near the old, showing all their wires.

 

@Steve83 Hope this is good.

 

So what's the problem? Use the wires you need. Either insulate & abandon, or clip, the one you don't. Depinning the connector will allow you to clip it at the terminal, without the need to insulate anything since all the bare metal will be back in the connector shell, as usual.

 

@Steve83 Well, no problem. I simply did not know what this second wire was about. im by no means a mechanic, but a parts replacer. i was confused as the item was listed as a direct replacement and it was different.

Anyways, I do thank you for your input. i did remove the extra wire entirely, and will try installing tomorrow (its too dark now)

 

Replacement parts are built to work for as many applications as possible; production parts are built to accomplish what the vehicle owner expects with a minimal chance of warranty repairs for the least cost to produce. Ford used the same coil connector shape from '87~02 (on some heavy trucks), but some had an extra takeout for either a tachometer, RFI capacitor, or other accessory. So the replacement connector comes with that pigtail wire in case you need it. If you don't, you either abandon or clip it, OR connect both new green wires to the truck's one. Either way, it's still a "direct-replacement" pigtail connector.


(phone app link)

This shows one way to splice wires (if you use a butt-crimp instead of the quick-connect shown):


(phone app link)

This & the NEXT 5 show another way:


(phone app link)

This shows a pierce splice:


(phone app link)

 

Well, im completely lost. the only things i have not done are physically check the pcm, and replace the wiring harness. i made a short video of whats happening.

immediately after i stopped recording it stalled and died.


EDIT: Tonight we tried a diagnostic test. it we connected a wire and plug to the dist in place of one of the existing wires. it sparks intermittently. as my uncle described it, "Its like someone is turning the key off and on real fast while the engine is running" when the engine starts to stall, the plug stops firing completely, then fires back up.

 

It sounds like you are losing ignition and it quits. Then will start after sitting for a while. Something not at all uncommon for this vintage of Fords. What usually always causes this is a bad coil, PIP in the distributor, or ignition module.

I see you replaced the distributor with a "new" one from Rockauto, was it a rebuilt or one of their actually new aftermarket distributors? From what I have read the jury is still out on the new aftermarket distributors. As far as rebuilt distributors, most of them are junk, they have a bad PIP in them right out of the box as the PIP was never replaced when the distributor was supposedly rebuilt. Most rebuilt distributors will run a while then the PIP will get hot and the engine will quit until the PIP cools off.

As far as the ignition module, in my experience when it goes dead it never comes back alive. But I have heard people claim to the contrary.

So did you get a new or rebuilt distributor from Rockauto? Have you replaced the coil? Have you replace the ignition module? Just trying to help you get to the bottom of this.

 

Thank you for your reply!

The distributor was stated as new. it included the pip and module preinstalled. after removing the old one we noticed it was squealing real bad and after an accident removing the gear, i went ahead and got a new one from them(Rockauto). and i also replaced the ignition coil today. and a couple days ago i soldered new connectors for both the ignition module and coil, as they both were showing signs of extreme wear(bare wires primarily)
the dist was this one
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...121847&jsn=945

the coil was an off the shelf one from advance auto. i really only got it to eliminate the old one as an issue. not sure of top of head which one it was.

it never gets time to warm up as it quits within a minute or so.

i do have the old distrib pip and a replacement ignition module that is new as well that i did not get a chance to use. i figured to keep it as a backup.

 

Blindly replacing parts does NOT "eliminate them as an issue". You have to TEST them before & after replacement. But there's no point replacing something that passes a test, and several reasons NOT to.

Go back to post #3... You still haven't tried the most-likely solution.