Truck problems

[Mil1ion]

your problem is either fuel depravation or primary ignition wiring

Think HEAT related for ignition and coincidence for fuel

Can you attach a fluke testor or test light to the + terminal of the coil run to the cab .....then drive it and hope that it shows up while you have this hooked up?

 

[thatsrealnice]

your problem is either fuel depravation or primary ignition wiring

Think HEAT related for ignition and coincidence for fuel

Can you attach a fluke testor or test light to the + terminal of the coil run to the cab .....then drive it and hope that it shows up while you have this hooked up?

Could probably rig something up to be able to use the tester. Someone told me to look in the throat of the carb and push the throttle to see if I could see fuel spraying into the carb, which I did, and there was fuel spraying. What should the readings be on the coil when I figure out how to rig it up?

 

[Mil1ion]

If it is ignition the test light will go out or if you use a multimeter the power will drop to zero

If it was a secondary ignition problem the engine would slightly run like plugs fouling

The Imprtant thing is to check certain things when something actually happens or to have things ready to monitor.

My engine used to do what yours is doing and my problem was a frayed wire at the connector on the distributor

 

[thatsrealnice]

ok, got an inline spark tester and seems all the plugs are firing, and no dead spots in the wiring. so to test the coil, there's a plastic collar thing that slides over the end of the coil that has the wiring coming out of the plastic collar that goes to the base of the distributor, and the other two going to the ignition i presume. how would i go about getting a tester in there to test it while i'm driving? should i just remove some of the coating from the wire? any tips would be appreciated before i go cutting stuff and mess something up. thanks as usual.

 

[Mil1ion]

Shove a cotter pin into the + terminal that slot and attach a wire from that runs into the cab attaching to the grounded test light or multimeter

The test light is more visible when it goes out or comes on.

You have to be able to drive this truck normally to hopefully make the problem show up if the light stays on when the engine goes dead then you know it is a secondary ingnition failure or fuel delivery failure

 

[thatsrealnice]

Shove a cotter pin into the + terminal that slot and attach a wire from that runs into the cab attaching to the grounded test light or multimeter

The test light is more visible when it goes out or comes on.

You have to be able to drive this truck normally to hopefully make the problem show up if the light stays on when the engine goes dead then you know it is a secondary ingnition failure or fuel delivery failure

K thank you. I'll give it a try tomorrow. It started today and idled for 30 minutes or so. Seems that it's just when I try to drive it, and it's about the same distance each time, that it acts up the way it's been doing. The wires themselves look like they're in good shape, didn't see any that were frayed, or spliced or anything like that. Will check back once I try the multi tester, and or test light, and go from there. Thanks so much.

 

[rford]

I had this problem and used a timing light while driving, it would go out just before stalling, it turned out to be ignition switch mounted near the bottom of steering column. You also say it happens in about the same distance of driving, is the engine warming up and choke is opening which is leaning out fuel? What about the crack in the egr you mentioned earlier. hope this helps.

 

[thatsrealnice]

I had this problem and used a timing light while driving, it would go out just before stalling, it turned out to be ignition switch mounted near the bottom of steering column. You also say it happens in about the same distance of driving, is the engine warming up and choke is opening which is leaning out fuel? What about the crack in the egr you mentioned earlier. hope this helps.

Yes, the engine warms up, and the choke opens normally. I'm going to try what million suggested, and then go from there, and I think I'll be replacing the egr anyway.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

...I think I'll be replacing the egr anyway.

So far in this thread... that's the only idea I don't like.

Defeating the stinkin' EGR was the main thing I did to make it so my
brand-new '75 F150 360FE +T18 could pull itself out a level driveway
in 2nd gear without coughing and dieing! That brand new Ford pickup
friggin' sucked. None of the 3/4 ton pickups (any brand)
at work acted like that. But there was an F100 that did too (that I
discovered later) and fixed it by defeating its EGR. It has an automatic
tho, which helped it out some.

You definitely need a spacer to isolate the carburetor from the intake
manifold's heat -but that's it- IMO.

YMMV?

Alvin in AZ

 

[thatsrealnice]

not sure what ymmv is. how would i seal off the area on the spacer where the EGR connects then?

 

[thatsrealnice]

ok, i think my coil is shorted. took my multitester and checked the ohms on the postive and negative terminal of the coil, and it read zero. read on another website that a reading between .4 and 2 is normal, and a zero reading means a shorted coil. i'm still going to try the driving it while hooked up to the multimeter idea.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

not sure what ymmv is.

Your Mileage May Vary

ok, i think my coil is shorted. took my multitester and checked the ohms
on the postive and negative terminal of the coil, and it read zero. read
on another website that a reading between .4 and 2 is normal, and a zero
reading means a shorted coil.

Digital or analog meter?

how would i seal off the area on the spacer where the EGR connects then?

Whatcha got?

Pipe tap and plugs to fit?
Rather thick sheet of metal and a ruler and a drill and bits and a hacksaw?

Alvin in AZ

 

[thatsrealnice]

it's a digital meter. so i put the test light in there, and the light was on for a while, and then when the truck got warmed up, the light started flickering and went out and then the truck died. so does that mean it's something with the coil then? today i didn't even have to drive it, it was just idling, and started doing it.

 

[Mil1ion]

That means PRIMARY Ignition circuit

Which mean anywhere from the ignition switch to the ECM to the Distributor

Next thing is to keep the ECM cold then try it again.

I presume all of your terminals/.connections have been cleaned and are secure ?


Three heated related things are the ECM and the Pickup in the distributor and the coil
If the power was gone on the light then that is BEFORE the coil problem

Do you know how the DSII system works ?



everything else is NON-Heated related
Ign switch,wiring,

 

[Mil1ion]

 

[thatsrealnice]

I don't really know how the DSII works, but I was coming back to edit my previous post. I didn't have the test light grounded well, cause I went back out and tried it again, and definitely the light stayed ON after the truck died. so now, what would be a secondary ignition and/or fuel delivery problem? fuel pump for fuel? and i have no idea for the secondary ignition. i looked back at the previous posts for possible fuel problems. think i'll start with a new filter, and go from there, than probably a fuel pump. i kind of doubt it's the sock inside the tank, because it happens on either the main or aux tank, don't think both would be clogged up, but never know. thanks for everyone's input and help.

 

[Mil1ion]

Power may have restored in between.


It has to be closely monitored..... to work

secondary ignition starts at the coil

Perhaps we need to post the operation of breakerless ignition

 

[gsxr1238]

Simple test for the ignition.Connect a test light between the tach test post(negative),and place the probe on a good CLEAN ground.Have someone turn the engine over with the key switch.See if the light blinks on and off.This means the pickup in the distibutor and the module are seeing the field collapse and are firing the coil.This test is best performed with the engine at temperature,as the module,pickup,and coil tend to break down when heated.As always,look for loose,frayed,dirty connections.Be certain of the ground strap to the engine/frame,and from the engine to the firewall.Hope this helps.There are other tests.

 

[Mil1ion]

He's already aware of this.

The problem was the test light became unattached

It has been determined he has to be DRIVING the vehicle to where it failed

It doesn't fail sitting in the driveway

 

[thatsrealnice]

well tonight, it was idling, and after warming up, it did the same thing it's been doing when i've been driving it.