Odd condition!

[Fordlorn]

So, I been messin with this '71 Flareside for about a year now (I've been in no hurry till now) and have finally got to the part where I start it up and drive it. So.........................guess what? Yup, you're right, won't start. I've checked everything and I can't get the darn thing started. The worst thing is, that after I worked on it for about 4.5 hrs. yersterday (bolting up exhaust and other things as well), I go over to my buddies house today to look at some stuff on one of his trucks to see if maybe I got a wire crossed or something, but no. However, he has this old '68 4X4 with a 390 in it that won't start and within 10 minutes I got it running. Man that 390 sounds good. Anyway, here's the deal. Cranks real good. Won't spark. Ran fine when I parked it to work on it. I check to make sure things that need to be grounded are and things not to be grounded aren't. I check the coil it's ok. I put new points in it and still no spark. I swap out the condenser even. I check my firing order, hell I even pulled the #1 plug made sure I was on TDC and then set up the dist. for about 7-10 BTDC. And I got good compression too. I noticed when I check the juice to the batt. side of the coil with the key to on, the test light pulses slowly like Christmas lights do. According to the service manual that means the Ign. switch is bad, so I replace it and it does the same thing. I have juice to the small post on the right as you look at the front of the solenoid with the ign. to "On" but nothing on the one on the left (this is normal, no?). If you swap them, when you put the ign. switch to "On" the starter turns. The only thing I can think of at this point is that there is not enough dwell to charge the coil enough for it to fire the plugs. I'll check that tomarrow. I'm also going to try a new solenoid as well. It can't hurt heh? Any help would be appreciated.

[70shortwide]

where are your points set? if they are too close or too far, it can give you trouble. i dont know about the pulse thing, someone here will. you didnt put all the wires on in reverse order? if i remember right it turns counter-clockwise. i hope this helps. i dont have great answers, but its some things to check. someone will be along shortly with something genius that were both missing

[Thunderfoot]

Not sure on the pulsing thing but it could be a couple of things.

Try unhooking that small wire (brown) on the right side of the solenoid, leave it unhooked and see if it starts. If it does then the solenoid is probably the problem.

After that, try putting the test light on the (+) side of the coil and try starting the engine, the light should pulse off and on with each firing of the cylinders. If it doesn't then you have a problem with the points, condenser, or wire to the points from the coil.

Other thing you can do is run a jumper wire from the (+) on the coil to the (+) on the battery and see if it will start. Don't run it for a long time this way, as it hard on the points, but this will be fine just to confirm if the problem is possibly in the ignition wire.

[Fordlorn]

Yeah, I'm gonna give these things a try. Thunderfoot, I think I just read a post of yours similar to this in the engine section a few ago. Thanks guys. I'll have that 360 purrin like a kitten tomarrow.

[Fordlorn]

Finally! Well, this is what I did: First I put a jumper from the batt. to the coil. Crank=Pop, pop,pop. Good, I'm on to something. Just for kicks I check the firing order. 180* out! Cheesz! I musta been real frustrated Sun. when I was working on it. After a little fanagaling I had it purrin like a kitten. I hooked up a ballest ressistor between the batt. and the coil so I can run it all I want while I set up the tune and check for water leaks and such. Then I'll chase down that wierd blinking hot wire to the coil from the ign. switch. I just don't get it, I've never seen anything like it in my life. Blinks just like a xmas tree light.

[Fordlorn]

This is a simplified version of OC1. The truck is running with a jumper from the batt. to the coil. Runs great! Can't wait to get on the road with it! But, here's the deal. The wire that is supposed to be hooked up to the coil from the ign. has a very wierd conditon. When I hook up a test light (wire not hooked to the coil) and turn the ign. switch to the "run" position the test light blinks at about 1second intervals. Blink, blink, blink and so on. The truck will not run with this wire hooked up. Runs great with the jumper wire. Anyone ever see anything like this before? What in the world could be causing this? I don't see anything under the dash that could be causing it. If I don't figure it out soon I'm just gonna pull all the wires down from under the dash and do a real thorough looky see.

[Thunderfoot]

good deal, and good idea using the ballast resistor keep us posted on what you find out on the ignition wire issue.
If you have to you can replace the resistive wire section with new resistor wire, or replace the whole wire with normal wire and use a ballast resistor.

[FORDification]

Second thread merged with first. Please keep us from getting too confused, by not starting a second thread when the problem is already being discussed in the first.

[Thunderfoot]

This is a simplified version of OC1. The truck is running with a jumper from the batt. to the coil. Runs great! Can't wait to get on the road with it! But, here's the deal. The wire that is supposed to be hooked up to the coil from the ign. has a very wierd conditon. When I hook up a test light (wire not hooked to the coil) and turn the ign. switch to the "run" position the test light blinks at about 1second intervals. Blink, blink, blink and so on. The truck will not run with this wire hooked up. Runs great with the jumper wire. Anyone ever see anything like this before? What in the world could be causing this? I don't see anything under the dash that could be causing it. If I don't figure it out soon I'm just gonna pull all the wires down from under the dash and do a real thorough looky see.

Just confirming that you did try disconnecting the small brown wire on the starter solenoid to see if it still did this?

Other then that there shouldn't be any other stuff connected to the ignition circuit. It sounds like a thermal / bi-metal type reaction, this is how a flasher for the turn signals works. It heats up until it breaks the connection and then cools down and makes connection again, then repeat... Could be a break in the ignition wire and it is doing something similar Try unplugging the connector at the firewall and test it there, this will also help determine if the problem is inside the cab or in the engine compartment wiring.

I've never personally see something like this before...

[Fordlorn]

Did everyhthing you mentioned and everything checks out ok. Even unplugged both flasher units just in case of a Hillbilly quck fix for the flashers in the past. Just one thing though, I think I may know what it is now. The truck has an electric fuel pump on it and it seems like the last time I was under it there was a relay or something under there. I'm gonna look again tonight after I drop my Grandson off at his Tia Kwan Do class. Don't know if that may have anything to do with it but it's worth checking. Thing is, everything worked just fine before I tore it down.

[Fordlorn]

Hey Thunderfoot, guess what it was? It was so simple you won't believe it! I had the coil and temp. sending unit wires swapped. I shoulda suspected something when I put the fat pink wire on the temp. sending unit. Duh!!!??!!? I found this out by looking at the wire color chart on this web sight. I was beginning to think maybe I lost my Moto Mojo! Man I love the internet!

[Thunderfoot]

that would be a small issue Glad you got it figured out and thanks for letting me know what it was
Know I understand why it was flashing, that is the pulse the sending unit wires get from the IPVR
Now, you can get out and drive it.

[Fordlorn]

Yup, as soon as I find some throttle linkage. Thanks to this site, I found some pictures someone posted of what I need. I like it here!

[rjewkes]

x2 I was reading the problem and thought switched wires been there done that.