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  1. #1
    FEP User 85GTMan's Avatar
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    Default 85 GT 5.0 No Fire

    We drove our 85 to work, ran fine...quite good actually. Leave to go home and it will crank all day long. Checked all the obvious suspects and have come to no fire out of the distributor. Coil has power.
    We have replaced the following.
    Distributor
    Coil
    Ign module
    Regulator
    Plugs wires
    Ign switches
    .the rotor does spin when you crank it.
    Jumped the starter relay..no dice.
    Any thoughts or ideas are welcome.
    1985 GT Vert 5 Speed "Black B!#ch"
    2000 V6 Stang 5 Speed-Sold
    1994 Ford Bronco 5.8-Sold
    2004 Nissan Xterra Off Road- Sold
    2012 Mustang V6 6sp for the wife
    2008 Jeep Wrangler JKU

  2. #2
    FEP Super Member
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    Default

    Bad pip is my first thought , but you said you replaced the distributor .
    clowns to the left of me , Jokers to the right

  3. #3
    FEP User 85GTMan's Avatar
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    Default

    With the key in the on position both posts on the coil are hot so in theory the dist should be hot correct? The main wiring harness is trash, insulation crumbling off so tracing is tough when trying to be gentle.
    1985 GT Vert 5 Speed "Black B!#ch"
    2000 V6 Stang 5 Speed-Sold
    1994 Ford Bronco 5.8-Sold
    2004 Nissan Xterra Off Road- Sold
    2012 Mustang V6 6sp for the wife
    2008 Jeep Wrangler JKU

  4. #4

    Default

    You got a wire going to ground. Have you been working on the instrument cluster? Is the printed ribbon circuit on the back of the cluster in bad shape?
    I had this problem, unplugged the cluster and car started right up. I replaced the ribbon circuit, money well spent.

    Brant

  5. #5
    FEP User 85GTMan's Avatar
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    Default

    No cluster work but I did put in a new radio a few weeks before but everything works fine. I might just take a shot in the dark and pull the radio
    1985 GT Vert 5 Speed "Black B!#ch"
    2000 V6 Stang 5 Speed-Sold
    1994 Ford Bronco 5.8-Sold
    2004 Nissan Xterra Off Road- Sold
    2012 Mustang V6 6sp for the wife
    2008 Jeep Wrangler JKU

  6. #6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 85GTMan View Post
    No cluster work but I did put in a new radio a few weeks before but everything works fine. I might just take a shot in the dark and pull the radio
    Not a bad idea, when I have run into an electrical issue it seems more often than not it's related to something I've just been working on.

    Good luck,
    Brant

  7. #7
    FEP Senior Member
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    Default

    Do you have spark to the plugs? Do you have voltage to the ignition module? Do you have voltage to the coil and ignition module when cranking?
    Start there.

  8. #8
    FEP Power Member Ethyl Cat's Avatar
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    Default

    Simple question i have not seen answered. Is the distributor turning while you crank it?
    BBD PERFORMANCE
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    1983 CRIMSON CAT OWNER

  9. #9
    FEP User 85GTMan's Avatar
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    Default

    The dist does turn and we inspected the gear on the old dist and cam for odd wear when when we replaced it.
    1985 GT Vert 5 Speed "Black B!#ch"
    2000 V6 Stang 5 Speed-Sold
    1994 Ford Bronco 5.8-Sold
    2004 Nissan Xterra Off Road- Sold
    2012 Mustang V6 6sp for the wife
    2008 Jeep Wrangler JKU

  10. #10
    FEP User 85GTMan's Avatar
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    Default

    We have voltage all the down the line to the dist but thats where it stops dead. The spark plug wires are also .
    1985 GT Vert 5 Speed "Black B!#ch"
    2000 V6 Stang 5 Speed-Sold
    1994 Ford Bronco 5.8-Sold
    2004 Nissan Xterra Off Road- Sold
    2012 Mustang V6 6sp for the wife
    2008 Jeep Wrangler JKU

  11. #11

    Default

    Are you getting enough juice from the coil? I think it's supposed to supply about 48k volts, so should be a hell of a spark when you crank it.

    Brant

  12. #12

    Default

    Pull the coil wire off the cap. You can push a spark plug into that end, ground it and crank. As long as the distributor is turning you should get a spark. This test is a cap / rotor / wire test. You should get a nice blue/white spark as you crank with the key on.

    I never change a ton of components at once. I try my hardest to isolate the issue then replace the item I think is bad. If it doesn't work, go back to the old one and try the next in line. You don't see multiple failures at the same time.

    Report back

  13. #13
    FEP User 85GTMan's Avatar
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    Default

    We tried the coil wire method and its still dead. I did pull the radio back out that also made no difference either. With the poor condition of the engine wiring harness it may be time for an overhaul.
    1985 GT Vert 5 Speed "Black B!#ch"
    2000 V6 Stang 5 Speed-Sold
    1994 Ford Bronco 5.8-Sold
    2004 Nissan Xterra Off Road- Sold
    2012 Mustang V6 6sp for the wife
    2008 Jeep Wrangler JKU

  14. #14

    Default

    Well that would narrow it down to the duraspark box, the sensor in the distributor or the wiring. That is since you have power to the coil. Good luck.

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