Ignition problem, Please help !

[CodeeB]

I have a 71 Bronco with 302 and converted electronic ignition from a 79 Granada. It's been running fine for over a year. Last Thur. it would'nt start, it turns over fine but when you relerse the key from the start position it tries to start. A day later it started right up. Today Tues. the same thing happened, so I got my remote start switch and removed the coil wire from the dist. cap and grounded it on the engine. I turned on the key, then I pressed the remote start switch and had no spark. When I released the remote start switch there was a weak reddish spark. Is this the coil , ignition switch or something else. Please help !

 

[Broncobowsher]

If I remember right, there should be a wire coming from the starter solenoid that bypasses the ballast resistor during cranking. That is what it sound like from your discription at first.<br><br>The second sounds like a weak coil. What is your voltage at the coil while cranking. Compare that to the battery voltage while cranking. <br><br>The wire I mentioned that bypasses the ballast resistor is to deliver full voltage during cranking since battery voltage drops during cranking. something that to do with the starter putting a load on the battery.

 

[74bronc]

There is a resistance wire coming off the back of the ignition switch (mounted on the post on the switch) that goes to the coil. I had a friend with a 73 EB that had the EXACT same symptoms that you describe. It would crank and crank, no fire, and then when you would let up on the ignition switch, it would fire briefly and then die. We found that someone had butchered this wire and twisted it back together. Check for breaks in this wire.

 

[CodeeB]

Finally got a chance to work on the Bronco today. It's started up Sat. , I jiggled wires, removed the ignition switch and inspected the wires, still couldn't get it stop running again. So I replaced the coil, cleaned the ignition wiring connections and added dielectric grease. Hope this works. Thanks for your input.

 

[Jerry_Poplin]

Trie running a jumpper wire from right side little wire on the starter solenoid to the coil + side .

 

[EricLar80]

Hey, replace your voltage regulator. They are only about $10, but they make your truck do funny stuff when they go bad. I've had two go bad- once the engine wouldn't shut off when I turned the key to "off", and the other time my voltmeter would jump sparatically at higher RPMs, causing the idiot light for the alternator to blink on and off. <br>-Eric

 

[ftw]

if all else fails, try the igniton module. Famous for problems.