Well this started a couple weeks ago with it intermittely breaking up real quick. Recently i would be going down the road and it just dies, like the key was turned off. No spark. wait like 5 mins and im up and runnin again. I changed the ignition module. Didnt fix the problem. I replaced the distributer because of it throwing a pip code. worked good for about 4 days. Now it has started again. I replaced the coil today and nothing has changed except for the fact the car doesnt have to warm up before it dies. It will even do it just getting in it from overnight and it wont start, and its taking longer and longer for a restart. This is driving me crazy I just want to figure this out. Thanx in advance to anyone that has some ideas.

 

Pull out the SPOUT and see if it runs at base timing.
Let us know what you find.

 

From the very nature of your description, I would suspect you got a bad rebuilt distributor. From what I've read rebuilt distributors are notoriously bad. Another possibility is that you are losing power to the coil from the ignition switch. You could check to see if you have power to the coil during that dead time when it quits and won't restart. Pull the connector off the coil, one little wire should be live with the IGNITION SWITCH ON and the other little wire that goes to the distributor should still be dead anyway. If both little wires are dead WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH ON you are not getting power to the coil. Bottom line, I would guess you got a bad PIP in your recently replaced distributor.

 

If I were guessing I would say he has a bad Plug on the Ignition Coil, this happens a lot.
If not that then yes the PIP sensor or Ignition Switch.

 

ill check that tonight, thanx for the answers. ill let you know what i discover

 

i got power to the plug and everything i have checked is ok. still nothing. it ran for a little while today before died again. im getting frustrated and if i replace the distributor again, will i keep having to deal with this problem.

 

hey sniper i guess i kinda sorta had the same problem with my truck but what would happen is my truck wouldnt start sometimes. it would just click. but everytime i jumped it, it would start right up. well a few months passed without it happening and it did it again(wouldnt start) so i went to get a jump but wouldnt start at all. Finally after looking alot all over i realized the post where the ground wire threads to on the starter was rotted out and was just kinda wiggling down there so sometimes it would have connection and start and othertimes it wouldnt. Give that a look. Mabe driving down the road it would wiggle out a little bit but i still wouldnt know why it would turn off.

 

The TFI-IV ignition system which you have is not all that complicated, despite what many people, including unknowing mechanics, would lead you to believe. It consists of power to the coil, the coil itself, the ignition module, and the PIP in the distributor. And of course the other obvious wiring and parts. I went through exactly what you are going through, years ago.(with more than one Ford) Most of the mechanics, including those at the Ford garages, didn't know which way was up when it came to figuring them out. I THINK I have them mastered. In hindsight, The Haynes repair manual shows the layout of the TFI-IV ignition system plain as day. Given what you have already done, including replacing the coil and ignition module(with new I presume) and knowing the reputation of the rebuilt distributors, I would give you pretty good odds you have a bad PIP in that rebuilt distributor. It's best to just get a new PIP put in your original distributor if you can get someone to do it, it reguires disassembly of the distributor. I, in fact, had the PIP go bad in my '88 F-150 about six years ago, I took the distributor in to the ford garage to get a new PIP put in and the mechanics discussed going with a rebuilt distributor, they also knew the reputation of the rebuilt distributors.(they have a NAPA store right in the Ford garage, that I think had a rebuilt distributor on hand).

That's the best insight I can give you. Keep us posted. Good luck.

 

Thanx for all the info. i went over everything again today. the distributor is all thats left. I just dont want to be always fighting distributor. Is there one that would be better than another?? or just try another one and hope for the best.

 

I think it would just be the luck of the draw with another rebuilt distributor. If you still have your original distributor,
getting a new PIP installed in it would be the surest bet.

 

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replaced the distributor again and we are back up and running. we will see how long this one will last until i can save up and get a better quality one. thanx for all the help guys

 

sounds good