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No spark, Help Needed!!!

Greetings All:
Have a 1988 Motorhome with a 460 Ford Engine. Was running, suddenly won't start. Found no spark. Then, started, ran for a few minutes, then stopped. Cranks well but no fire. I put a test light to coil terminals with key in run position, lite lit when I touched the + and - terminals on coil. So power going to coil with ignition switch on. Took coil wire off distributor, inserted spark plug, grounded plug, no spark when cranking. Can't get to start now at all. There is the ignition module mounted under front hood. It has two plugs, one with 4 wires, one with two wires. Can this module be the possible problem for no spark from coil when cranking to start? This is driving this old guy nuts trying to figure out. Like I said above, power to both sides of coil, no spark from coil? I did briefly swap out another coil initially, started, stopped and would not start with that coil also. Any more tests I can do to find problem? Kinda thinking that module but no expert. Thanks so much for helping this old guy out, it's greatly appreciated.�� I look forward to your help.
 
Last edited:

blacksnapon

Moderator
Staff member
The module would be my first choice, then internal in the distributor.
 
No Spark Update

Ok, went out this morning, engine fired right up and ran. Then after a few, just stopped? Went out later, started, ran till I shut off. This evening, no fire, just cranks? Tmro pulling module and having tested. Just wondering if it will test good since problem seems intermittent or can test make problem show up? Any thoughts on this?
Thanks?
 

blacksnapon

Moderator
Staff member
Ok, went out this morning, engine fired right up and ran. Then after a few, just stopped? Went out later, started, ran till I shut off. This evening, no fire, just cranks? Tmro pulling module and having tested. Just wondering if it will test good since problem seems intermittent or can test make problem show up? Any thoughts on this?
Thanks?
Generally, it's because the module internally overheats. They are extremely heat sensitive. The testers simulate loading on the module to try to get it to overheat. I have though seen them pass the testing even though they were bad.
 

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