View Full Version : Mechanics,,Help..'78 Ford van dies
Help!!!
I have a 1978 ford E250 (4wd) that has just started dieing on me. It will start right up, run for 20 or so minutes and then die. I lose my spark. I have a new coil and ignition module.
After it sits for 45-60 minutes and cools down it will start and run till something (who knows what) in the engine compartment gets hot (? just a guess) and cuts off my ignition.
Does anybody have any ideas on this one? I don't have a schematic, so I am shooting in the dark here
TIA
bob
charger0122
10-25-2003, 09:37 PM
could be your catalitic converter stoped up and its over heating the engine or someone put a potato in your exaust pipe and nothing is geting out thats what it sounds like to me i had a truck that would run hot because of the catalitic converter
Fasttrip
10-25-2003, 09:51 PM
Man thats sounds like ignition module all the way. Could be a bad new one.
I would not bypass that option .
My vette did same thing and it was the module
Exhaust is clear, no catalytic convertor to worry about.
It isn't even that warm in the eng compartment.
bob
charger0122
10-25-2003, 09:52 PM
but then agian i have also had a truck do the same thing yours is doing first i replaced the moduale and the one i bought wasnt any good i went threw about 5 moduales till i got a good 1 and then it went out to so i got a diffrent distributor cap and coil off another car and found a good moduale and that fixed it remember if it takes a moduale like a chevy under the cap always use the grease they give you with it to keep the moduale from geting hot. hope it help sorry for the spelling :gun:
Before putting on the new module I tried to start it and it wouldn't. I hooked up the new (cool) one and it still did not start. After sitting for another 45 minutes it started with the new module. I am kinda leaning away from the module. I have also cleaned up all the contacts.
bob
Fasttrip
10-25-2003, 09:59 PM
You could have 2 bad modules?
kevin_m4
10-25-2003, 10:08 PM
Inside the distributor around the shaft is a pick-up coil. My suggestion would be to change that little guy out. You have to remove the distributor and take the gear off and with one that is that old it may be seized. So then it's time to change the whole distributor.
The pickup coil can give voltage spikes to the module and cause it to go out.
good luck
Skibane
10-25-2003, 10:12 PM
Not sure if this applies to late-70's vehicles, but in the '80s and '90s Ford had a major problem with the "clear film module" that supplies spark. Basically, it would quit working after it warmed up to operating temperature. There were several recalls on it (although they have since expired).
Darth_Pavoris
10-25-2003, 10:50 PM
buy a can of computer duster. when the van warms up and dies hold the can upside down and spray it on the part you think might be the problem. the stuff coming out of the can will rapidly cool the part. then try starting her up again.
Some good ideas here, kudos to you darth, something I have never heard of.
bob
Krupski
10-25-2003, 11:35 PM
Originally posted by BobR
Help!!!
I have a 1978 ford E250 (4wd) that has just started dieing on me. It will start right up, run for 20 or so minutes and then die. I lose my spark. I have a new coil and ignition module.
After it sits for 45-60 minutes and cools down it will start and run till something (who knows what) in the engine compartment gets hot (? just a guess) and cuts off my ignition.
Does anybody have any ideas on this one? I don't have a schematic, so I am shooting in the dark here
TIA
bob
I had a Ford station wagon that would up and die after running for a half hour or so. It seemed worse in damp weather.
The problem turned out to be the ignition module.
Replaced it and the car never died again.
Roger
Mr Magoo
10-26-2003, 11:22 AM
We had a '73 Ford that would have similiar problems with the stalling. It turned out it was a dirty fuel filter. Every time after that when it would stall, we changed the filter and it cleared up again.
63DH8
10-26-2003, 11:31 AM
Bob, you said you lose spark after it warms up. Take the ignition module to your local NAPA dealer and have them test it. They heat the thing up while testing it. If they say it's good, I'd suspect the pick-up coil. It's inside your distributer, under the eight legged star looking thing. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a used distributer at a wreaking yard than replace the pickup coil.
PeeWee
10-26-2003, 11:47 AM
Kevin_m4 is correct,,,,,classic bad pick-up coil symptom(in my shop we allways change ign. module and pick-up coil together)
wwwtimmcp
10-26-2003, 01:25 PM
my dads buddy had a van did the same thing. every ford garage replaced every part in the ignition system but no dice. turned out to be the clip that held the coil wires to the coil terminals. it clipped on alright but the connection was loose and once it warmed up resistance at the plugs heated it up and stalled.
they are easy to bend so you get a better connection, and I would also check your engine ground and firewall ground.
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