No Spark... Again!

[mokancraig]

It's happened again. I drove the car to town the other day, it died and wouldn't re-fire for about 30 minutes. I drove about 5 minutes and it died again, this time I let it set for an hour, it restarted and I got it to my dads house, where I changed the coil (only thing I hadn't changed).

Yesterday I drove out to the track and drove around until it died. Let it set for a few hours and drove it back home (2 miles away). Today it did it again, but this time would not re-fire.

I'll go back through the wiring tomorrow, but what should I suspect: The new Motorcraft TFI? The Napa brand PIP? If it's the PIP what brand has everyone had luck with?

Thanks again!

[SVOeric]

yea -- the TFI is what I would suspect.

[Erics SVO]

Classic TFI/pip. Did you use heat sink compund when you did the TFI? Did youreplace the PIP (or disty). If the PIP is bad it'll fry the new TFI.

[Eyelawdoc]

Another item to check is the ignition switch. They fail with great regularity and will ofter give intermittant operation before dying all together.

[Gyrhead]

shameless plug

I use the Motorcraft DU30C PIP. Decent price from us $36 and change. Around $40 from others. Requires access to a press (or McGuiver rig) to get the roll pin out of the dizzy gear. I would lean towards TFI also, but I've never seen a M/C unit go bad so early. If the Ford dealer gives you grief on returning it, give me a call.

Make sure you used the silicone grease as noted prev.

[mokancraig]

I used the white thermal paste between the dizzy and TFI.

I got the TFI and PIP at two different places. If a bad PIP fried the TFI what should I do?

Eyelawdoc, I had just replaced the switch when I got the car (a few weeks ago).

Gyrhead, I used a nail to remove the roll pin. Two whacks and it was out...

[mokancraig]

This morning I went to unload the car from the trailer and just for grins I tried to start it. It started...

I think I'll replace the PIP with a Motorcraft and see if the problem goes away...

[Gyrhead]

Just for yucks, is the ECM ground connected to the battery. It should be a bundle of black wires over by the coil, coming to a ring terminal. At least it was on the 5.0 cars. My fiance's son's 5.0 had a consistent, but random no-start condition an it turns out the ECM ground was crappy. It was mounted to the rusty coil frame with a chinzy DIY crimp ring terminal. Some of the guys at FEP suggested this and to replace the PIP. We fixed both and problem solved!!!

[mokancraig]

Thanks, I'll look at the ground again.

[90GTDan]

Step 1, verify its a no spark problem. I didn't get that you know for a fact that it is spark, seemed like an assumption. Could just as easily be a fuel pump. When they get old and tired they can do that. Have seen a bad inertia switch cause similar problems.
Dan

[mokancraig]

It's no spark, when it wouldn't start I did the old screwdriver in the plug wire/coil wire trick.

Plus, I can here the pumps run when I turn the key to the "on" position.

[chalkys_explorer]

A word of caution about the white heat sink compound. If you use to much it is as bad as using none at all. How much is too, how long's a piece of string??

Chris

[SVOeric]

screwdriver in the plug wire/coil wire trick.

I hope it was in the plug wire, not the coil wire...

[90GTDan]

Sounds like you need to start draging your volt meter along with you and check for powers and grounds when its dead. One thing to do is unplug the spout connector when it wont start, if the computer is causing the problem with its signal back to the tfi unplugging the spout will let it start. That is not that common but is a quick check of that problem. I personally havent expierienced that exact problem but the guys I used to work for have.
Good luck!
Dan

[mokancraig]

Okey doke, I'm going to change the PIP this evening with a Motorcraft and hopefully drive it a round till it runs out of gas or dies...