coils buring up

Charging, starting, lighting, gauges, HVAC

Moderators: FORDification, Thunderfoot

Post Reply
killakobra
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 623
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:45 pm

coils buring up

Post by killakobra »

My truck has already eaten up 2 coils and is workin on it's 3rd. the truck runs fine with a new one and then it starts to misfire. This keeps going until i have no power left. How many volts should be going to the coil while it's running. i know it jumps 12 to it from the starter solinoid and it drops down after it starts. right now i'm reading 12 volts to the + side. is this a bad resistor wire? Where is it located and how do i change it?
1967 f100 stepside 300ci I6
1969 f100/600 stepside retro truck -under construction-
1972 longbed trailer
User avatar
BobbyFord
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 5372
Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 9:52 am
Location: Chatsworth, California

Re: coils buring up

Post by BobbyFord »

Voltage at the positive coil wire in the "on" position should be between 4.5 and 6.9 volts.
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: coils buring up

Post by fordman »

are you still running points or something else. maybe that is eating the coils.
killakobra
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 623
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:45 pm

Re: coils buring up

Post by killakobra »

no, i forgot to mention i'm running Duraspark. i checked the voltage earlier and it was 12. something. not good. After doing a little research i found out that a TFI coil can handle 12. turns out i got one with my parts truck :D . it's NEVER ran this smooth. i'll keep an eye on the performance and if it starts degrading then i'll have to fix the ballast resistor.
1967 f100 stepside 300ci I6
1969 f100/600 stepside retro truck -under construction-
1972 longbed trailer
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: coils buring up

Post by fordman »

yes the durapsark i think does take a different coil than the points dist.
killakobra
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 623
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:45 pm

Re: coils buring up

Post by killakobra »

i've been using Duraspark coils but they still overheat and fry.
1967 f100 stepside 300ci I6
1969 f100/600 stepside retro truck -under construction-
1972 longbed trailer
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: coils buring up

Post by fordman »

i was looking at the diagram on the site how to hook up duraspark and it showed just a plain 12 volt power supply from the ignition switch only no resistor in the set up anywhere. is that right?
killakobra
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 623
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:45 pm

Re: coils buring up

Post by killakobra »

That's what is frying the coil. it should only be 6 volts
1967 f100 stepside 300ci I6
1969 f100/600 stepside retro truck -under construction-
1972 longbed trailer
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: coils buring up

Post by fordman »

then the diagram on this page needs to be alterered. i also see this diagram has a wire coming and going from the same terminal on the starter relay and it shouldn't. it should come from one and go to the other i think. http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =8&t=48178
User avatar
70_F100
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2999
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:23 am
Location: North Carolina, Kernersville

Re: coils buring up

Post by 70_F100 »

fordman wrote:then the diagram on this page needs to be alterered. i also see this diagram has a wire coming and going from the same terminal on the starter relay and it shouldn't. it should come from one and go to the other i think. http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =8&t=48178
Which wire are you talking about?
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.--Plato
Why is it that there's seldom time to fix it right the first time, but there's always time to fix it right the second time???

That's not an oil leak :nono: That's SWEAT from all that HORSEPOWER!! :thup:
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: coils buring up

Post by fordman »

it shows two grey wires coming from the s side of the relay . our trucks had one wire to each small terminal. the diagram shows 3. but maybe that is because this is from a mustang site. so maybe those are different.
User avatar
70_F100
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2999
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:23 am
Location: North Carolina, Kernersville

Re: coils buring up

Post by 70_F100 »

I think maybe the legend is confusing. I see that the legend at the top says "gray=existing".

The second wire going to the module is labeled as "white", and, like the other wires going to the module, the wire is colored in the diagram to match the actual wire color.

That's one possible explanation, but I could be wrong. :?
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.--Plato
Why is it that there's seldom time to fix it right the first time, but there's always time to fix it right the second time???

That's not an oil leak :nono: That's SWEAT from all that HORSEPOWER!! :thup:
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: coils buring up

Post by fordman »

it was the existing wiring i was talking about. that is why i was thinking it might be a mustang only thing.
User avatar
mrtleavitt
Blue Oval Fanatic
Blue Oval Fanatic
Posts: 767
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:26 pm
Location: Overton, NV

Re: coils buring up

Post by mrtleavitt »

Few years ago I was having coil problems. I burned up a few every couple months. It was mounted horizontally and found out through some research that most coils are oil filled and some types should be mounted vertically. After I changed it to vertical mount I never had the problem again. Just something to think about. I've now bought an epoxy filled coil so I can mount it whichever way I want. It worked for me. :2cents:
1969 F100 428 with T19, 3.00 9inch 31 spline w/ Detroit Trutrac, '74 frame swap successful!
http://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/mrtleavitt/
killakobra
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 623
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:45 pm

Re: coils buring up

Post by killakobra »

i had my coil mounted upright but it didn't help. Also, they were burning out in a matter of days, not months. Tfi coils are defiantly the way to go. After i changed mine out the engine ran loads smoother than even a performance CDI coil could manage. here is a picture of one that i used (not my hand). it's mounted to where a fuel pump normally mounts on a 300. The area isn't milled for the pump arm but it still has the holes drilled and tapped.
Image
1967 f100 stepside 300ci I6
1969 f100/600 stepside retro truck -under construction-
1972 longbed trailer
Post Reply