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the bronco wont start. turns over fine, cant get a spark. it has duraspark but i didnt convert it over. I drove the thing aournd the block OK City when i picked it up, but now after a 3 hour drive back and a lot of ratteling and banging around it wont kick. my dilema is, the distributer it loose and can be turned easily. not just the cap, the whole thing! It is stable up and donw and side to side, just spins on its axis. Im not much of an engine guy so any thoughts or suggestions would help on how to cure this.

There is a hold down clamp for the distributor to keep it from twisting after you set the initial timing. It is threaded into the intake manifold. As for the no spark, the duraspark modules are known for going bad. if you have a spare one try it out. They are not that expensive anymore though. You will need to have the color of the grommet that surrounds the wires going into the module for a reference to get a new one. There is yellow, blue, Lt blue, black to name a few.

Duraspark modules do go bad, although, I bought a F-100 new in 1979
and it still has the original module in it ! You should be able to find a parts store in your area that can check it for you, before you buy a new one.
Assuming the module is stiill good and the distributer shaft is turning, you should stiill have spark , if the body of the distributer is loose and has turned, the timing is just off.

A couple years ago I had a 78 F350 with the dura spark ignition and the damn thing would just quit every now and again. Then just as suddenly, start up and run fine for a day or two. It drove me nuts trying to locate the problem.
I finally replaced the magnetic pickup in the distributer with a new one and the problem went a way for good.

Personally, I would start at the very begining: pop the distributer cap
and have someone turn the engine over while you watch the rotor to see if its even rotating.

Good luck

first off how do you know there is no spark?

pull the ignition coil wire and prop it to check.

I think you just turned the dizzy and got it out of time.

i checked coil and could get a spark. I just cant get a spark from the dizzy.

pull the cap, clean the connections, and check the wires. then re install everything and crank the motor and look for spark from no1 wire. also while you got the no1 wire off pull the plug and see if you fouled it.

Spin it over with the cap off, and check if the distributer is even turning.

Watching this little story unfold, doesn't it make ya want to just crawl in to your computer monitor, beam out and troubleshoot for him....

there go them pesky voices again..

Its a good way to wind up a Sunday evening.

Hey Tek, I live in "WORSHINTON" also, not to far from Kent.

What year truck is it. If it is a 2.8 v6 and your missing your hold down clamp I have a spare one that I would be glad to send you. When I was rebuilding my 2.8 I lost the distributor hold down clamp and I must tell ya they are not easy to find and you cant just buy one from an auto parts place and the dealer, forget it because they no longer support or have parts for the 2.8 motors. I got lucky when they opened a u-pull it junk yard near my house and at the time I had lost the hold down clamp and lol I even lost the camshaft spacer plate but luckily they had two 2.8 motors and I grabbed both hold down clamps and I got my spacer plate. So if you need a hold down clamp just email me at mike93082@yahoo.com and include your adress and I will send ya one. As far as postage goes dont worry about it. My office job has a postage machine and I will just stick them with the postage bill

mccutcheon4 wrote:Its a good way to wind up a Sunday evening.

Hey Tek, I live in "WORSHINTON" also, not to far from Kent.

Hi there mccutcheon4,

I think this morning I am living in splashington.... Man oh Man what a beautiful day yesterday........ I lounged in the sun all day. I suceeded in drying out the last layer of rust that has formed on me. now we are back to rain...

Where abouts are you from?

Hey Tek,

I live about five miles north of Orting. Worshinton, cracked me up because My mom has called our state Worshington as long as I can remember.
She also Worshes the dishes ! Shes from Oclair, Wisconson (cheese heads) LOL