1990 Ford F-150 Truck dies while driving, won't restart unti

Tiny
3DUCKS
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 FORD F-150
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 151,000 MILES
Hi. Have replaced virtually every electrical part under the hood except for Throttle Position Sensor, Distributor Pickup and EGR valve. Truck starts immediately when cold, but dies while running, usually within 1 mile or less. Won't restart until engine is allowed to cool down, varying in time required from 15 minutes to an hour. Occasionally dies while driving; then while coasting in gear to a stop, truck restarts on its own and often runs for the rest of the day without problems. On really hot days (above 95 degrees), truck will not start at all until the evening when outside temperature has cooled down below approximately 80 degrees. Ford garage has not been able to detect the prolem. Appreciate your help.
Monday, August 11th, 2008 AT 2:37 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
Whats missing when it wont start. Spark? Fuel pressure? Both? Need a place to start with this one.
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Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 AT 1:41 PM
Tiny
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Hi. Eliminated gasoline as a possible cause; switched gas tanks with same problem. One day, a friend checked truck when it would not start, and found I wasn't getting spark to distributor; checked and found the iginition switch was bad that time. Replaced it, now pickup starts in the mornings when temp is about 70 degrees, but as soon as weather heats up to 90 degrees or higher, pickup will not start again. Wait until evening hours when temp is cooled down, and truck starts! I have already replaced Ignition Control Module with a new one, but thinking to change it again; possibly bad Module? Not getting spark problem seems to come and go?
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Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 AT 3:04 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
  • MECHANIC
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Your vehicle has a hall effect sensor in the distributor, they can cause this problem when going faulty, easy to check also.

Take off distributor cap, remove rotor and remove plate the rotor sits on.

Once thats off, locate the hall effect sensor, only one in there should have 3 or 4 wires comign off of it
push on the sensor firmly is it soft and gooy soft?

Should be firm and not like tar.
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Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 AT 5:42 PM
Tiny
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Hi. I will check the "hail effect sensor" in my distributor--and just to be sure, I will install a new one while I'm at it. But should I find that not to be the problem, what would you suggest as a number 2 possiblity that I can also check before contacting you again?
Thanks, Okie.
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Thursday, August 14th, 2008 AT 12:43 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
  • MECHANIC
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Another good test to see if its distributor/icm related or not would be to disconnect the harness from the coil, hook up a test light give engine a few cranks, does the light flash? If not vehicle either is not getting a trigger or 12v from ignition switch.

From there check +12v there with key on, should have it, if not you can splice a 12v direct from battery in then attemp to check for spark, work now?

Still nothing?
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Thursday, August 14th, 2008 AT 4:15 PM
Tiny
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Thanks. I will try these tips as soon as my mechanic gets back to me. But in the meantime, Autozone says the only part inside my distributor is the pick-up coil, no "sensor"-- or is the pickup coil what you meant?
Okie.
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Thursday, August 14th, 2008 AT 7:50 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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They may refer to it as a pickup coil but it is a hall effect sensor.

Ford switched from a pickup coil to the hall effect sensor when they came up with the TFI ignition modules and EEC-IV.
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Thursday, August 14th, 2008 AT 8:09 PM

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