Stuck 1600 miles from home!!!

[jeffmerkur]

Hi Everyone,

I'm in a bit of trouble. I'm in Texas a long way from home! Car was running great then started quitting and then would refire. I could drive for a bit and it would do it again. It got worse and worse. Then I had to sit for a bit and then it would start again and run for a bit. I made it to a town. I found a Autozone and ordered a ignition module and a coil. I guess it could be the distributor? I got lucky and a guy cranked it for me will it wasn't running. No spark off the coil wire. Whats the most common failure on these cars? I have had other fords with module failures that acted like this. The parts should be here in the AM. The car just turned 81,000 miles so I really hope its not the distributor. What do you guys think? Oh, I have very limited tools. No testing equipment. I just want to get home!

[Chobobulous]

Where in Texas are you? There are members across the state that may be able to give you a hand.

[TominMO]

You need to give us info about your car. Year, EFI or carbed.

[jeffmerkur]

I'm in the Motel 6 in Pecos TX
The car is a 91 Efi car.
571-642-1965

[jeffmerkur]

Really sucks, I drove from Harpers Ferry WV to Boulder Co, Climbed Pikes Peak with it. Then went to San Hose down to San Diego. I made this far home but it got so bad I didn't want to risk being completely stranded. The ignition module seems pretty quick and easy but if that doesn't do the trick I guess its distributor time? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

[Gomez]

Hmmmm. I'm not a great mechanic by any stretch but My first guess would be an easy check. Ignition switch? Start at the very "beginning" I would say. You already know you have no "end".

[Gomez]

Hmmmm. I'm not a great mechanic by any stretch but My first guess would be an easy check. Ignition switch? Start at the very "beginning" I would say. You already know you have no "end". I've had a few cars do that sort of thing. Work until the car shut off then wouldn't restart. Had one just up and quit once. Both were ignition switches, and are easily bypassed temporarily to get you home if that's the problem. Like I said maybe it's not that easy but wouldn't hurt to check.

[Prafeston]

What about the fusible links in the engine bay? I know those can be common corroding areas. Replace those wire fuses with the little cartridge ones.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?45789-Fusible-links&highlight=Fusible+links

30A/40A/30A

I would think that the AutoZone has them. Might even want to try replacing them first in case that's all it was and then you can return the ignition module.

[WmWatt]

If you think the problem in in the ignition switch I suggest spraying WD-40 into the keyhole. It has worked for me when the lights and wipers give me trouble. You could probably also spray it on the fuseable links mentioned above. Cheap and easy to do at the side of the road.

[htchbck]

I've seen both Ig modules and distributors fail. More modules than dists though. Can also be a bad ground in the bundle of ground wires that all run together along the top radiator support right above the cooling fan. Had that happen once too.

[Bert]

Problem such as you have (intermittant no spark on a 93 EFI and then total failure) turned out to be the camshaft position sensor within distributor for me one time, and (stupidity reigns once in awhile) a broken timing belt on another occasion. If there is no spark and yet both 12 V wires on either side of the coil are live when the key is on it is a pretty good bet that the ECU is not getting an 'engine is turning' signal. The unfortunate thing is new or rebuilt dizzies ain't cheap but any junkyard with early 90s B6s in it should yield a compatible dizzy. Compare theirs with your old one.
All the best and good luck!

[TominMO]

IIRC the gen1 late-80s B6 disty is compatible, not the gen2 early 90s ones. Different locations for the slots you bolt it on with.

[rmoltis]

Best of luck to you sir.
I hope things work out.
Usually lo-milers such as yours don't give much trouble.
But time wears on everything I guess.

If I lived in Texas closeby I would surely drive out to help you if I could.

It would add to my positive karma.

[Flyin4stroke]

Sounds like a distributor going bad.

[jeffmerkur]

I ended up replacing the module. It seems to be better but then acted up again. You guys are going to love this. I noticed that every time I checked the plugs on the distributer and everything the car would fire right up. It turned out the bracket that holds the wires going to the distributer was holding the wires tight. When the engine moved it pulled on the plug and the car would shut off. I bent the bracket and took the tension off the wires and no more problem. Im back home.