Ford No spark, 84 f250 with 460 - CarForum.net - Car Forums, Automotive News and Community

simfreak · 01-21-2012, 07:59 AM

Hey guys, I'm not getting any spark to the spark plugs on my Ford. It has the Duraspark II ignition system.

Some background info, the engine ground came apart and fried my ignition control module. (It would just crank even when it was on the "run" position). I replaced that and now it doesn't get any spark. I used a test light and the coil is getting power when it's in the run position.

I don't really know where to begin diagnosing and looking for issues.

Any help getting this piece of junk running again would be appreciated

Mr Car Guy · 01-21-2012, 02:35 PM

I can't find my diagnostic info on that ignition, but check the other side of the coil for a pulse on a grounded test light while you crank. That is the signal you need to make the spark. No signal means problems down stream, like the module or distributor. So far I've always found the module to be the problem, providing you have power to it. If you are getting the pulse then the coil itself is the problem.

simfreak · 01-26-2012, 04:05 PM

No pulse on the negative side. Which module are you referring to? Thanks.

Mr Car Guy · 01-26-2012, 06:04 PM

Dura Spark ignition module

simfreak · 01-26-2012, 06:14 PM

That's what I thought but just wanted to make sure

Already replaced that last week, so the new one should be good. Must be boiled down to something in the distributor then. (I got a new coil today and that didn't fix it, either).

Thanks again, Car guy!

Mr Car Guy · 01-26-2012, 06:44 PM

The pulse comes from the distributor, goes to the spark module, then the module sends signal to the coil that makes the spark.

So if you are not getting a pulse at the coil, the problem is upstream.

Check for power at the module. I don't have diagnostic info on the distributor, sorry.

**lautinjr** · 01-26-2012, 09:55 PM

sorry no help either old Fords I stay away from. to many damn fusible links that can burn out also, and Fords older wiring diagrams seem to have been purposely built to confuse so no one knew they didn't know crap about wiring.

Mr Car Guy · 01-26-2012, 10:30 PM

Here is a diagnostic PDF chart fer ya, good luck

DURA-spark.pdf

**Kenny McCormick** · 01-27-2012, 12:12 AM

It's probably the pickup in the distributor. If not that, perhaps it has a module on the side of the distributor like mine? I had that go out and the engine only had fire for about a minute, then it warmed up enough to open a contact in that module and it lost fire.

simfreak · 01-29-2012, 07:51 PM

Everything's been pointing to that, but my distributor doesn't have a module on the side of it, it's just got the pickup module inside it, and has a connector that brings wires back to the ICM.

I'm going to be converting it to HEI, and eliminating that ICM and all the other DuraSpark stuff.

Found a cheap HEI dist. on eBay and I'm going to give that a shot.

01-21-2012, 07:59 AM	#1
simfreak Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 610 Rep: 22	No spark, 84 f250 with 460 Hey guys, I'm not getting any spark to the spark plugs on my Ford. It has the Duraspark II ignition system. Some background info, the engine ground came apart and fried my ignition control module. (It would just crank even when it was on the "run" position). I replaced that and now it doesn't get any spark. I used a test light and the coil is getting power when it's in the run position. I don't really know where to begin diagnosing and looking for issues. Any help getting this piece of junk running again would be appreciated __________________ 1997 Honda Civic LX 1.6L D16Y7 5 speed 215k miles \| 135k miles on motor

01-21-2012, 02:35 PM	#2
Mr Car Guy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Surrey, BC, Canada Posts: 1,461 Rep: 160	I can't find my diagnostic info on that ignition, but check the other side of the coil for a pulse on a grounded test light while you crank. That is the signal you need to make the spark. No signal means problems down stream, like the module or distributor. So far I've always found the module to be the problem, providing you have power to it. If you are getting the pulse then the coil itself is the problem. __________________ 1999 AWD Jimmy 1995 AWD Jimmy - RIP, 1989 AWD Jimmy - RIP I try to learn from other peoples mistakes that I gave advice to.

01-26-2012, 04:05 PM	#3
simfreak Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 610 Rep: 22	No pulse on the negative side. Which module are you referring to? Thanks. __________________ 1997 Honda Civic LX 1.6L D16Y7 5 speed 215k miles \| 135k miles on motor

01-26-2012, 06:04 PM	#4
Mr Car Guy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Surrey, BC, Canada Posts: 1,461 Rep: 160	Dura Spark ignition module __________________ 1999 AWD Jimmy 1995 AWD Jimmy - RIP, 1989 AWD Jimmy - RIP I try to learn from other peoples mistakes that I gave advice to.

01-26-2012, 06:14 PM	#5
simfreak Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 610 Rep: 22	That's what I thought but just wanted to make sure Already replaced that last week, so the new one should be good. Must be boiled down to something in the distributor then. (I got a new coil today and that didn't fix it, either). Thanks again, Car guy! __________________ 1997 Honda Civic LX 1.6L D16Y7 5 speed 215k miles \| 135k miles on motor

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Ford No spark, 84 f250 with 460

01-26-2012, 06:44 PM	#6
Mr Car Guy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Surrey, BC, Canada Posts: 1,461 Rep: 160	The pulse comes from the distributor, goes to the spark module, then the module sends signal to the coil that makes the spark. So if you are not getting a pulse at the coil, the problem is upstream. Check for power at the module. I don't have diagnostic info on the distributor, sorry. __________________ 1999 AWD Jimmy 1995 AWD Jimmy - RIP, 1989 AWD Jimmy - RIP I try to learn from other peoples mistakes that I gave advice to.

01-26-2012, 09:55 PM	#7
lautinjr Now accepting bribes. Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Currently Las Vegas Posts: 4,019 Rep: 191	sorry no help either old Fords I stay away from. to many damn fusible links that can burn out also, and Fords older wiring diagrams seem to have been purposely built to confuse so no one knew they didn't know crap about wiring. __________________ Please help reduce our mini van population and wear condoms!

01-26-2012, 10:30 PM	#8
Mr Car Guy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Surrey, BC, Canada Posts: 1,461 Rep: 160	Here is a diagnostic PDF chart fer ya, good luck DURA-spark.pdf __________________ 1999 AWD Jimmy 1995 AWD Jimmy - RIP, 1989 AWD Jimmy - RIP I try to learn from other peoples mistakes that I gave advice to.

01-27-2012, 12:12 AM	#9
Kenny McCormick Spah sappin' mah susp! Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Earth...I think Posts: 3,161 Rep: 96	It's probably the pickup in the distributor. If not that, perhaps it has a module on the side of the distributor like mine? I had that go out and the engine only had fire for about a minute, then it warmed up enough to open a contact in that module and it lost fire. __________________ Tired Iron ain't got no time to wear out... My rigs: 1985 Ford F150 \| 4x2 \| 300ci OHV inline six \| 4-speed OD manual \| 310K \| No power brakes \| Running 85% - Steering linkages torqued down. Needs to hit an alignment rack now, but is driveable 1984 Ford F150 \| 4x2 \| 300ci six \| granny four \| 3.55 rear end \| 210K \| Has had antique tags for six months :P, is running fine 1997 Ford Explorer XLT \| 4.0L Vulcan V6 \| 5-speed automatic \| shift-on-the-fly 4WD \| 210,000 miles \| Running 100% 1989 Ford F150 \| 300cid six...again \| 5-speed \| 4x4 \| 160K \| Literally just drove it home yesterday. Might need a clutch soon.

01-29-2012, 07:51 PM	#10
simfreak Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 610 Rep: 22	Everything's been pointing to that, but my distributor doesn't have a module on the side of it, it's just got the pickup module inside it, and has a connector that brings wires back to the ICM. I'm going to be converting it to HEI, and eliminating that ICM and all the other DuraSpark stuff. Found a cheap HEI dist. on eBay and I'm going to give that a shot. __________________ 1997 Honda Civic LX 1.6L D16Y7 5 speed 215k miles \| 135k miles on motor