Losing spark after 20 minutes of run time, then engine shuts off

Tiny
HEXES2007
  • MEMBER
  • 1987 FORD E-SERIES VAN
  • 200,000 MILES
1987 E350 with a 351w (5.8) starts and runs for 20 min then loses all spark for about 5 hours. I have replaced the Ignition control box, coil, plugs, cap, rotor, and wires. I have no clue what would be causing this. Any help would be awesome.
Wednesday, March 28th, 2012 AT 10:31 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Do this power the ignition coil from the battery and see if it stays on-if so check the ignition wire back to the ignition switch and also the ignition switch itself
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Wednesday, March 28th, 2012 AT 10:42 PM
Tiny
HEXES2007
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Replaced the ignition switch, wires are fine, no spark whatsoever, starts and runs fine but will not shut off with wire from pos. Battery to pos. Coil, only shuts off after I cut the wire. I have no clue!
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Thursday, April 12th, 2012 AT 8:10 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Did you check the ignition switch coil primary wire for an open circuit and also the ignition bypass at the starter relay to the coil
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Thursday, April 12th, 2012 AT 8:18 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Also have the ignition control module checked-
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Thursday, April 12th, 2012 AT 9:29 PM
Tiny
DJCL
  • MECHANIC
  • 767 POSTS
Tag the wire @ the ignition switch and run it to the coil + if there is a bad section of wire you will by pass it. If the van runs well run a new wire or trace it looking fore a brake with green junk on it
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Thursday, April 12th, 2012 AT 10:29 PM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
A popular auto parts store can test your module for free. Test 5-8 times, to warm it up. Yes, even new ones can be bad.I know this 1st hand. Tore my jeep apart for 2 days, because I "assumed" the new one was good. Make sure you test the new one before you leave the store! (Might make 'em mad, but you are the one dealing with the problem. And the customer is always right!)
Might also crank him up and start systematically shaking wires. You might luck into the area with a problem when it dies
Below is the machine for testing modules--there's a drawer-ful of connectors that go along with it for other applications.I have laid out the ones for testing jeep cjs beside it in my pics (on the left "prestolite ign" ('78 and earlier)---on right "motorcraft ign."('70s and early '80s jeeps and fords)
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Saturday, April 14th, 2012 AT 1:20 AM

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