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Ignition Troubleshooting

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Bullnose Gator

Ignition Troubleshooting

It died on me on the highway and I had to have it towed home. Then it came back to life for a bit and then died again on a test drive. I was able to get it started again and limp it back home only a mile or two. I replaced the ignition control module and it fired right up, first turn of the key. I test drove it immediately with no problems.

A few hours later I started it again and it had a very bad idle and then stalled. I was able to start it again and it still had the bad idle, but ran without stalling. I figured it had to be the ICM, since that's the only thing I changed, so I tried a 2nd ICM but got the same bad idle. I came back a while later and wiggled all of the wires on the distributor cap and the ICM wire connections and it fired right up and ran good again. I test drove it again with no problems.

The next day the problem was back, but now it will just barely start and I have to give it a lot of gas to do so. It will only turn over for a few seconds, has a brief knocking idle, and then stalls again. I've tested the carburetor/fuel supply and that doesn't seem to be the problem. I am going to replace the distributor cap and rotor next, but any thoughts on what it could be?

Jeremy - Oviedo, FL
1986 F250 XLT Lariat Supercab 4x4 Manual 460

Gary Lewis

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Administrator

I'll guess it is the pickup in the distributor. They have been known to fail and give weird symptoms, including failing when hot and starting again when cold.

But I think I'd try the cap and rotor first. Easier and cheaper. Then I'd do the pickup.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

grumpin

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

X2 what Gary said. I had one of the wires on the pickup in the distributor break off.

I would also be suspect of that new ICM, if you don’t find anything else.

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

Bullnose Gator

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

New distributor cap and rotor didn't do the trick, and I'm already on the 2nd ICM, so moving on to the pickup coil. Let me know if there are any tips/tricks to replacing that. Thanks.

Jeremy - Oviedo, FL
1986 F250 XLT Lariat Supercab 4x4 Manual 460

Gary Lewis

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Administrator

I think that pickup is a likely culprit. I've seen the insulation fall off the leads to it such that using the vacuum advance would short it and kill the engine. And I've seen them do strange things when they get hot.

Tricks? Just be careful and don't break the reluctor that is on the shaft. Otherwise it should be pretty easy.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Bullnose Gator

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Do I need to pull the distributor or can I get to it from here?

Jeremy - Oviedo, FL
1986 F250 XLT Lariat Supercab 4x4 Manual 460

Gary Lewis

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Administrator

No need to pull the dizzy. It is the blue thing with the wires that come out the side via a grommet that slides up and out.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Bullnose Gator

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Cool. Not just the blue part, the bracket it's attached to as well, right? This one looks like what I need:

https://www.autozone.com/ignition-tune-up-and-routine-maintenance/pick-up-coil/p/duralast-pick-up-coil-f107/118521_0_0

Jeremy - Oviedo, FL
1986 F250 XLT Lariat Supercab 4x4 Manual 460

Gary Lewis

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Administrator

Yes, that's it. Although I didn't check to make sure it is right for your dizzy as I assumed you had.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Bullnose Gator

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

According to autozone it fits my model truck, and it looks the same to me. I'll give it a go, thanks.

Jeremy - Oviedo, FL
1986 F250 XLT Lariat Supercab 4x4 Manual 460

Gary Lewis

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Administrator

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

In reply to this post by Bullnose Gator

I’d like to give you a heads up on the aftermarket pickup coils.

Here’s what I did with mine.

Edit: removed link, some links have not been working for me lately. Search the forum for my post, 460 Non EEC Distributor.

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

Gary Lewis

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Administrator

Dane - The link you gave was a URL, probably copied from the browser. What you need is the permalink. I think this is the one you meant, right?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Gary Lewis wrote

Dane - The link you gave was a URL, probably copied from the browser. What you need is the permalink. I think this is the one you meant, right?

Yes sir, that’s it. I’ll have to figure out what I’m doing wrong with the links.

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

Bullnose Gator

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Yikes. That doesn't sound promising, and that was just earlier this year. My next post might be how do I repair my original.

Jeremy - Oviedo, FL
1986 F250 XLT Lariat Supercab 4x4 Manual 460

Gary Lewis

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Administrator

In reply to this post by grumpin

Click More/Permalink.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

In reply to this post by Bullnose Gator

The Motorcraft pickup is working great!

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

grumpin

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Ok, I’m on an iPad. Do I copy the link then go to more and permalink?

Sorry for the hijack!

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

Gary Lewis

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Administrator

Go to More and then Permalink and copy that. Don't copy the URL at the top of the browser page. That usually just takes you back to the main page.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: Ignition Troubleshooting

Ok, thanks a bunch Gary!

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

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