i think you could probably just run a new wire but i would probably just search for the old wire and hook it back up. one less random wire floating around. also according to all diagrams i have that would also be correct.

 

Well, Here is the latest and greatest...I confirmed there is spark at the plugs...I removed the ECU (new) cleaned the paint off the back and re-tightened to the firewall to make sure its grounded good...THE ONLY THING I found after searching wiring is there is a fusible link in the wire coming off the starter relay that runs to the starter that had a blown 30amp fuse in it...so I replaced it..BUT she still wont come to life...( although I do get a spark now at the positive cable when hooking it back up to + batt post, and before I did not.....I also ran a temporary wire from that (-) coil post (mentioned above) that was not hooked up to anything, to the #2 ECU pin...also, to no avail, she just still will not come to life...I do have a question though...I do still have everything off the front of the engine from re-placing the timing gears and chain (water pump is off, alt is off, power steering pump off, timing cover and fuel pump off...) but by manually squirting gas into the carb she would still fire up right?? I mean, I dont need any of the other items to make her run right?? (at least temporally anyway) I know you have to have water pump to cool engine, alt to charge batt, ect. but these items being off of it would not prevent it from starting, right??
Im just at a loss on this thing....And electrical issues have always stumped me in the past....I can rebuild an engine, but electrical issues has never been my strong point....I tried using a OHM meter to check items but get frustrated and confused fairly quick...I pulled the wires off one side of the dual ballast and checked with the key on, and I get 12.9-13.0 volts threw it.....also got 12.9 threw the green wire off ECU plug (disconnected from ECU) but nothing from any of the 4 other prongs.....I just do not know where to go from here, other than hanging my head low in defeat, and taking it to a shop somewhere...unless someone can give me some kind of check list to go down to eliminate certain items, or can explain to me what/how to check important items with the OHM meter.....Also I just seen that in my first post I said "we replaced the ignition switches" when I should have said switch (not switches) we replaced the switch under the steering column, BUT NOT THE KEYED SWITCH ON THE COLUMN (tilt wheel) Anyone think this might be the issue??? and is there a easy way to test it to confirm it is good or bad??? mannnnny thanks if you can help!!!

 

I carefully read all chapter 5 in the Haynes book last night & think I have a better grasp on this electrical thing....I went to the parts store & got a adjustable "Ignition tester" o-40,000 volts with electrode tip to test if the spark is strong enough or to week at plug wires, also got a continuity tester with battery and light to check for shorts or breaks in any/all wires...also got a can of good ole STARTING FLUID which if my memory serves me right should tell me for sure if its a FUEL issue or ELEC issue....( If she fires-up with starting fluid its a fuel issue) I was also looking online at pictures under the hood on this truck and see that the coil should be mounted on top of the intake on passenger side by dist (its currently mounted on the firewall) unsure if this is relative in any way, other than maybe the coil is not being grounded correctly mounted on the firewall.....So, I have a few more things to check today before I throw in the towel (because I really dont want this thing to beat me)

 

There is no grounding issue with the coil and mine is also on the fire wall so moving it is unnecessary. You should have a two wire plug coming out of the distributor. Disconnect the plug and do an ohms test across the wires to check the pick-up in the distributor. The reading should be 150-900 ohms.

When you removed the front of the engine did you possibly remove the engine ground?

 

Hey SEAL, thanks for the reply....I did as you instructed & Im getting around 383-396 ohms which fluctuate back and forth between those numbers.....

I never disconnected the ground to engine from batt....Although the body ground was never hooked up to the batt.( but I hooked it up after discovering it wasnt.)

Here is what I have done today so far.....Using starting fluid I dont even get a hic-up out of her, so I think I can rule out FUEL issue......After slowly taking it step by step as instructed by Haynes, this is what I know.....#1.) With key ignition on...I get 12.4 volts on the (+) coil post (with 12.7 at Batt)....#2.) again with key on, I also get 12.4 volts on the (-) coil post......#3.) again with key on, and with the 5 pin harness plug pulled off the ECU, I also get 12.4 volts on the #2 pin (black wire with yellow strip which runs to the (-) post of the coil...) #4.) I also checked resistance between cavities 4 & 5 pins of the ECU connector and get around 284 ohms (according to book, this is norm. or at least "within range") #5.) I also checked the ohms on the ECU itself (without harness plugged in) and get a reading off the #5 ECU pin ( so according to book ECU is good.)

But that is where the normal stops I think...The book says I should have around 12.4 volts at the #1 pin of the harness also (red wire) but there is nothing.....The book says that means there is "PROBABLY a short circuit between the ECU connector and the ignition switch" but the book does not elaborate any further...like which switch?? keyed switch or switch bolted to lower portion of column? and says nothing about how to check/test this (we did replaced the NON-keyed switch on the lower portion of the column)
but if I remember right the boy/son told me that the old switch he pulled off had a GREEN colored plastic housing, and the new one had a BLUE colored plastic housing (I don't know if the color of the switch is relative or not?? and the book says nothing about this at all)

Another Observation/Test I made myself is as follows.....

With the key ON, and ECU harness disconnected, and my meter set on 2000 ohms...
Pin #1 = 180-190 ohms
pin #2 = NOTHING
pin #3 = 180-190 ohms
pin #4 = NOTHING
pin #5 = NOTHING

With the key OFF, and ECU harness disconnected and meter set on 2000 ohms...
pin#1 = NOTHING
pin#2 = 180-190 ohms
pin#3 = NOTHING
pin#4 = NOTHING
pin#5 = NOTHING

I wanted to list here the color and placement of the wires coming off our ECU harness connector.....
#1 pin / red wire...splits off..one end goes to bottom left of ballast,other goes toward Dist.
#2 pin / black wire w/ yellow strip..running to (-) coil post..
#3 pin / green wire running to top left of ballast....
#4 pin / gray wire running to dist.
#5 pin / brown w/white strip running to dist.

Man o Man is my brain starting to hurt......

If anyone can tell me where I need to look next would be awesome.

Is it possible the Keyed switch on the column is the culprit??

 

In the run position you should have 12 volts at only 1 side of the resistor and 6-8 volts on the other side that feeds the coil. Do you have 12 volts at the resistor with the key in the run position? If you do there is a problem between the resistor and the #1 wire on the ECU. You could temporarily jumper this to test it if needed. If you don't there is a problem between the ignition (keyed) switch and the resistor or the switch is faulty. You can test this by temporarily jumping 12 volts to the resistor.

 

Cool, Cool...Thank you very much sir...will do..maybe tomorrow though. Im ready to drink a cold one right now, been working/sweating on her most of the day, and I got to go to work in the morning....And like my Dad always said "she aint going no where, she'll still be there tomorrow" you know when I was In my twenties I would have broke out the shop lights, and worked on her till 2:00 in the morning...Not anymore...hurts to bad the next day...haha..Thanks ..

 

Hey SEAL, I finally got time to work on her again today and I did as you recommended in your last post, and You hit that nail right on the head man.....My boy had the red wires BACKWARDS coming off the ballast resistor to ECU, coil.....Which is also why I had 12v at both coil post (after your cool jumper wire suggestion I figured it out..) I reversed the red wires and I got the 12v at one & the 6v at the other on the ECU plug-in. So I think we are good to go now...I will put everything back together on her tomorrow (hopefully anyway, supposed to rain all day tomorrow.)

I will let everyone know when we get her fired up!! (hopefully tomorrow!)