89 bronco ll still stumped

quick review 89 bronco ll wont start. now checked grounds, every module you could think of. still wont get spark, now i got spark up to the distributor but it stops there. changed the module then thought maybe got a bad module so used one i knew worked so know its not module. . now problems seems to be narroweddown to distrubutor because it comes in but doesnt seem to get through; have power comming into distributor but none comming out. have changed both modules.

 

Are you saying that if you remove the coil wire from the cap on the distributor and hold it next to a ground and have someone crank you get an arc out of the end of that coil wire ?

If this is not established you must look back at the coil.

Sorry for another dumb question but is the distributor shaft rotating when cranking ?

 

yes and also if you take the dist cap off you have power at the bottom of the cap or thru the cap.

 

OK.........Let's assume you have SUFFICIENT spark to start the engine. I'd be looking at the carbon in the center of the cap where the coil wire goes.......look for carbon tracking/cracks in the cap.........and carefully check the rotor to be sure the spark isn't going straight to distributor ground......Cap and rotor are pretty cheap

 

yes we replaced caps rotor and wires

 

By both modules, do you mean the TFI module and the Hall sending unit inside the dist.?
The sending unit inside the dist. should be replaced when the TFI is replaced

 

if you have spark coming from the coil and you do not have spark coming from the distributer to each plug wire, and the rotor is turning you need to double check the coil, coil wire, cap and rotor to see why, a weak coil may have spark but not enough to make it through the distributer and to the spark plugs.

 

ok not sure of technical name is but we replaced the tfI module now is the sending unit the one inside the distributor under the plate. if the answer is yes they were both replaced.

 

Gotcha
That'd be what I meant
Cool

 

You said your getting power to the bottom side of the cap.
Are you getting an arc there or are you just testing continuity.

 

yes we are getting a arc

 

Sounds like a weak Ignition coil, But before you replace it, In the negative battery cable, about 8 or 10 inches away from the battery is a small connector that looks somewhat like a fuse holder. split it clean it up and reinstall. That is the ECM ground. The computer cant send out what it doesnt have to give. Also . in the harness near the distributor is a 1"x1" small jumper Plug called a "SPOUT" Jumper-(Spark Output). Remove it from the harness and see if it starts. If it starts with the jumper removed , the ecm has probably failed and will need to be replaced.-Has anyone checked Compression???????

 

off the battery cable i cut the (what looked like a fuse and wired it straight in) and replaced the possitive cable. thats the last thing ive done. so i more or less did the first thing you said. now for the second thing you said i didnt do i will try to get to that in a day or so but now you got me thinking so i have another question first the ecm is it on the transfer case. ill make this quick i changed the transfer case from auto to manual. but it ran, then drove it to transmission shop to get transmssion rebuilt and hasnt ran since. but it did run after i redid transfer case. could he have did something when working on transmission around that transfer case.

 

ECM is in the dash. I hate to condemn anyones work, But if it ran going in, It should run coming out. I'm in the business , and I realize things happen,but more than likely, something isnt hooked up. Make sure ALL the grounds are attatched, Particularly in the Bellhousing area.

 

ok yeah i cant believe it either, no one can, but anyway im going to do what you said to make sure its not the ecm, now help me what specifely am i looking for in the housing is there a ground strap in that area. have been looking for grounds forever. also there was a previous alarm system. now i cant get the info from the manufacturer about how its wired in im praying this isnt it. but it seems to go back to it. we dont know how it was wired in and do you think he did trip it. do you think if they did wire it in would that have been where they could have done it. there is a box under the steering wheel but its a motion detector. but as far as i know it may not even be on there now. had the truck for 5 years never ran into a problem.

 

Come on fellows what are we thinking ?? Somethings not right here. Lets go back to the basics. If you have a good spark from the coil wire when cranking then what's that tell us ?? The ecm,ignition module and pickup coil are doing their job. They are working and firing the coil.
You say you have good fire going into the top of the cap coming from the coil wire, right ?? If so, it then travels (the basics) down the cap center tower into the top of the rotor button which turns distributing the spark to each plug wire. You say you have nothing out of the cap to the wires. It can only be the cap or rotor button if all you've stated is correct. Check the cap and make sure it has the center piece in it that makes contact with the rotor button, it will be a small button type deal.
Again, if you have a good spark going into the cap but nothing coming out of the cap to the plug wires it can only be the two items mentioned if the distributor is turning.
Just some pointers that will hopefully help.

 

ok guys if everything you said is true we are back to only one possible thing. he somehow tripped and old alarm system that i have no idea where its tied into. it makes sense because ive done it all. and thats why i didnt have spark or fuel. its back to trying to figure out how the alarm is tied in will let you know when we figured it out if your still alive. wish us luck.

 

Just thinking out loud but you changed the transfer case or was it the transmission to manual ? Because if the trany is now manual you have to depress the clutch to alow the engine to start. I'm also thinking about the Nuetral safety switch adjustment. Did you try starting it in Nuetral or wiggleing the gear selector while starting. Also try resetting the Inertia switch again just for good measure.
My '86 Bronco II had an automatic transmission with an "On The Fly" transfer case" You just hit a button on the overhead console to engage the 4 X 4.
I do know that the earlier transfer cases actualy had an extra lever on the floor next to the gear selector to engage the 4 X 4.
Which do you have now ?

Because there may be something in the harness that dosen't jive but you said it worked OK after the switch over. Who was the brave person that did this auto to manual switch over, they may be able to shed some light on this.

 

no its still auto tranny thats what the total rebuild was on. now my son changed the hubs, and transfer to manual, but that was done before it was taken into the trannie shop. he probally drove it for at least 3 or 4 months. hes in school for ford hes got about 6 months left. thats why everything you guys have said is exactly what he had already done. so you guys were all very good with your answers. was just hoping we missed something but it isnt looking that way. and we went to the some of the best ford mechanics around and it all stayed consistant. so its gotta be the security system.

 

ok guys im getting closser, now for some reason i am blowing the fuse to the eec. if the eec goes bad would it blow the fuse or do i have a short. found out alarm system is tied into the fuel pump relay which i bypassed.

 

You have a short

 

Ok, It makes sense now.

Im not sure of what years, But do you have a "Check Engine" light.

If you do, turn the ignition on...And look for the light. IT MUST BE LIT WITH THE KEY ON!!!! If not , Find the EEC RELAY, (Which Feeds the fuel pump relay) and youll have some trouble shooting to do. It isnt that tuff, Its pretty straight forward, and well worth the few minutes to at least look into it.

 

best part now havent even got it started yet and the transmission is leaking from the pan gasket.

 

All i can add is that if I had to go through this, I'd be going nuts. Something in the line of a postal worker visiting the ford school.(not really)However , I do admire your patience and diligence. Good luck!