#1980 thunderbird manual how to

To help you crank the engine while you observe the LED light (or test light or multimeter).īy the way, you don't need an automotive scan tool for any of these tests.For whatever other information this article does not cover.If you need to buy one or are looking to upgrade, check out my recommendations here: Buying A Digital Multimeter For Automotive Diagnostic Testing.

#1980 thunderbird manual how to

Click here to see what this looks like: The LED Light Test Tool And How To Make One.

This will give a false result and/or damage the ignition coil.

Don't pull the spark plug wire off of the spark plug as the engine is cranking or running.

Don't use a regular spark plug instead of a dedicated spark tester.

Click here to see what it looks like: HEI Spark Tester. I strongly suggest you buy the HEI spark tester. Now, having said that, there some very specific tools that I recommend to use for the tests. No expensive tools are required to test this type of ignition system. What Tools Do I Need For The Ignition Module Test?

If it goes bad, the your Ford car or truck will CRANK but NOT START.

This signal can also be tested with an LED light (which is the method I'll use in this article).

It produces a digital square wave if its signal is tested on an oscilloscope.

The PIP sensor is located in the distributor.

Here are some useful facts that you should be aware of about the PIP ( Profile Ignition Pickup) sensor: The PIP sensor is at the heart of this fender mounted ignition control module and ignition system.

Once the engine STARTS, the fuel injection computer takes over the ignition timing.

The fuel injection computer also receives the PIP signal at the same time that the ignition module does.

As you might already be aware, it's this action that makes the ignition coil spark.

The ignition control module (ICM), upon receiving this PIP signal, starts to ‘open and close’ the ignition coil's primary current.The distributor shaft starts to rotate which causes the PIP ( Profile Ignition Pickup) sensor to start generating its crankshaft position signal.In a nutshell, when the system is working properly and you turn the key to crank and start your Ford car or truck: Here's a little background information to help you diagnose this no-spark condition. How Does This Type Of Ignition Control Module Work? You can find this tutorial in Spanish here: Cómo Probar El Módulo De Encendido De Ford (at: ). To test the Ford Coil-On-Plug ignition coils (4.6L and 5.4L V8 engines), see this tutorial here: Ford Coil-On-Plug (COP) Ignition Coil Tests. If you need to test the distributor mounted Ford ignition control module, click here: How To Test The Ford Distributor Mounted Ignition Control Module (ICM). All of these test steps apply to both the V8, V6 and L6 Ford engines.Īs you can see from the image of the ignition control module, the tests apply to the fender mounted Ford ignition control module. Well nothing could be further from the truth.

This might make you think that they don't apply to your 3.0L, 3.8L V6. These ignition control modules (ICM) are not interchangeable but are tested in the exact same way.Īlso, the photos (in the image viewer) show some of the tests performed on a V8 engine.

The Gray colored ignition control module is called the Push Start Module and the Black colored ignition control module is called the Computer Controlled Dwell Module. This tutorial applies to both the Gray colored ignition control module and the Black colored ignition control module. With the tests I'm gonna' show you, you'll be able to pinpoint the problem to the ignition control module or the ignition coil or the Profile Ignition Pickup (PIP) sensor or the spark plug wires or the distributor cap. Whether your Ford or Mercury car or truck cranks but does not start or runs with a misfire condition, this article is for you.