This is from another post I am updating. I took my ignition coil to be tested and was told it appears to be ok so I started backtracking from it. I found that no power was going to it .. but at other times it was and the engine would fire off..what would cause that..and is there a way to run power directly to the coil and get the engine to fire? What it will do is at times run for awhile..then like someone hit a light switch just stop..and not start again..then later it will start and run sometimes even forever..until I shut it off..then..well same thing all over again.. this crap is driving me nuts. Talked to a guy at the junk yard and I seriously thinging about getting a normal carb, and distrubutor and getting rid of the whole PCM nightmare..

PS: I have been told also that an ignition coil can drop in and out if its cracked..or something..hmm

1988 Dodge Ram Van, B-250, TBI, 5.2 (318)

 

Well, the coil is connected by a wire that goes back to the ignition cap-n-rotor set. Would it be funny that the cap or rotor has a flaw that cuts out when it wants. Even a hair-link crack or a transparent oil film could short out the cap-n-rotor set randomly.

If you go to replace the cap-n-rotor set, get a copper/brass type that will not coorde like the aluminum contact ones do.

 

I suspect that much of your frustration at this point is due to the intermittant nature of the problem. If at all possible get the engine running in a place where you can turn off the lighting and look for random sparks around the dist cap and coil in the dark garage. This may help you locate the source of the problem. Be careful of moving parts in the dark!

static tests of electrical components that are not under actual load conditions are not reliable...

for a $20 coil part, why do you not just replace the coil? While you are at it, replace the dist cap with a quality one like stev recommends...


for $60-80 you can replace everything in that line from dist cap to coil to wires in that line...


intermittant electrical components can be tricky to find ... a shot gun approach to replacing all of the components in that ignition system might not fix the problem, but at that point you KNOW that is NOT the problem and can start looking elsewhere... bad grounds, poor PCM connections...

 

Hi rsdata..yeah I am thinking that is my next step. I replaced the ignition coil, rotor and cap..and it still does it. So I am guess and the manual does say the pickup coil could be the culprit after temp rising. I kinda hope so..because I have replaced just about everything except the engine..lol

 

Just an update to let you know it turned out to be the pickup coil. It runs now but I got an engine light...but I am pretty sure that is the throttle body temp sensor (not the position sensor)..beings how I broke it..lol. But it is not stopping the engine from running..so that is on my list to get to maybe a salvage yard and replace it when I get some money again. Thanks to all of you for your input and advice