1977 ignition issues.

[chuck1022]

So I accidently cut the 3 wires going into the distributor.....they are attached to the pick up coil. Stupid accident...no big deal.
My plan "A" was to go get a pick up coil and swap it out. I am on my 3rd pickup coil......they seem to be out of spec . I got out my calipers...and sure as heck....3 different sizes. When you put the retaining clip in to hold the pick up coil in place.....WAY TO TIGHT....OR LOOSE.

My last ditch plan "A" effort was going to be to buy all the pick up coils from Rockauto and use the one that works. I have exhausted the supply around here locally.

Plan "B"- get a whole new stock distributor from Napa or something. But that would still leave me with future coil issues.

Plan "C" some kind of aftermarket distributor that does not have pick up coil issues....MSD?

Plan "D" I bought Explorers to do swaps...wait and do the swaps and bring it to year 2000 technology

Plan "E" sell all this Bronco non sense, buy a Mustang with a powetrain warranty...airbags, and drive the heck out of it.

 

[DirtDonk]

There’s also a Plan B-plus. Simply cut the connector off of the engine side harness, and put commonly available weather pack connectors there.
Easy to work with, much easier to pull apart and put back together when servicing the distributor, and you get to keep the parts that are currently working.
The downside is that you would have to do that to every new pickup coil you got, but that’s not necessarily a big deal. Once you get a good one it should last the life of the vehicle.
Do you still have the original one? Do you know it was bad? Did it test bad using an ohm-meter?
Also, for a Plan B plus plus hack, you can simply put small blade connectors on the distributor side and push them into the engine side connector.
Seen that done before. Works just fine although there’s no longer any weather protection unless you fill it with something

 

[chuck1022]

Good one

 

[chuck1022]

Too tight from Autozone

 

[chuck1022]

Too loose from Napa

 

[chuck1022]

This is what I'm working with

 

[chuck1022]

There’s also a Plan B-plus. Simply cut the connector off of the engine side harness, and put commonly available weather pack connectors there.
Easy to work with, much easier to pull apart and put back together when servicing the distributor, and you get to keep the parts that are currently working.
The downside is that you would have to do that to every new pickup coil you got, but that’s not necessarily a big deal. Once you get a good one it should last the life of the vehicle.
Do you still have the original one? Do you know it was bad? Did it test bad using an ohm-meter?
Also, for a Plan B plus plus hack, you can simply put small blade connectors on the distributor side and push them into the engine side connector.
Seen that done before. Works just fine although there’s no longer any weather protection unless you fill it with something

I have an OHM meter.....and don't really know how to use it. I will youtube it

 

[DirtDonk]

When you get the ohm-meter set, you put the two probes on the colored wires of your distributor pick up coil. The black with white stripe is just a ground and not necessary for this particular check.
You’re looking for a reading of between 400 and 700 ohms between the two. If it’s outside of that range, or even if it’s just close to one of the extremes, it’s not in good spec.

 

[DirtDonk]

I just saw your pictures. I remember when all you had to do was measure the resistance. You didn’t need to worry about the actual thickness of the part!

Yes, you need a new one. Those wires are too short to add connectors too.
Well, at least you’ll have added a boatload of experience for all of us to work with. Now, instead of just an ohm meter, we have to take calipers with us to the store!

 

[chuck1022]

I just saw your pictures. I remember when all you had to do was measure the resistance. You didn’t need to worry about the actual thickness of the part!

Yes, you need a new one. Those wires are too short to add connectors too.
Well, at least you’ll have added a boatload of experience for all of us to work with. Now, instead of just an ohm meter, we have to take calipers with us to the store!

I'm hoping my Explorer swap will remove a lot of these weird problems

 

[chuck1022]

I just want to keep it running until I am ready to swap it out.....when did this cheap ass parts problem happen?

 

[DirtDonk]

Started over thirty years ago now. But it's been getting steadily worse, as fewer and fewer parts are built for quality, and more and more are built exclusively for cost savings.
The ramp has steepened however, in the last ten years or so.

To mention just a few parts, the stories of faulty parts right out of the box are rampant with Ford starter relays, ignition modules, condensers (remember those?), ignition stators (your magnetic pickup), almost any rubber product (door seals, vacuum caps, clutch fork boots, etc) and probably a few other things I'm not thinking of at the moment.
Members here have bought two, three, four and one time even five bad parts in a row. Usually a starter relay/solenoid, but can be just about anything.
And that's when the parts are correctly marked and boxed and fit in the first place! Don't get us started on mis-boxed parts!

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Oh, and it's really our fault for the most part. Even when you want quality, you still look for the cheapest price. Right? Well, the manufacturers notice things like that, and build accordingly.
The internet has just made it worse in the past few years. Even when "searching for a quality part" the conversation goes something like this: "Where can I find the best price on xxx part?" Then, when there is a choice of a good part, and an unknown quality, or known to be cheap part, most will still buy on price.
Which is why, if you have the option, sometimes it's best practice to buy an old greasy used part from a junkyard, rather than it is to go down and buy a brand new one.

And so it goes...

Paul

 

[chuck1022]

What about swapping the distributor out?

Any input on an aftermarket one?

 

[DirtDonk]

Nothing really wrong with that idea. If it’s an old distributor, it could show signs of wear.
I just feel that, overall, the Duraspark distributors rarely have much in the way of bushings/bearings wear. Unlike their predecessors in the points category.
The mechanical advance mechanism can gum up or break, of course, but they usually last a long time as an assembly.
However, getting a new one sure does save you the trouble replacing bits in an old piece.

As long as you get the right one. Stories abound on the Internet of incorrect distributors being purchased. Even though it was listed for that engine, they somehow find a way of making it not fit!

 

[DirtDonk]

I'm hoping my Explorer swap will remove a lot of these weird problems

It has to. But of course, it can also introduce myriad others for you to scratch your head with and pull hair out for!

 

[gr8scott]

What about swapping the distributor out?

Any input on an aftermarket one?

I've been running one of these for a while, no issues.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NRD482899

 

[chuck1022]

I've been running one of these for a while, no issues.

http://[URL]https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NRD482899

[/URL]

Heading to napa now to order it. I'm on #4 ignition coil that doesn't work

 

[chuck1022]

Amazon is gonna deliver 1 more....5 times a charm

 

[AC932]

Buy a NOS OEM pickup coil. Use either of these part numbers:

DU-1A
D4PZ-12A112-A

Looks like there's a few on Ebay/NOS websites. I went through this same issue about 2 years ago. Bought a replacement OEM and a spare, no issues since.