87 5.0 Troubleshooting & Solutions

a91what · Jul 22, 2015

Replace the pip sensor in the distributor. It is cheap to replace and fairly easy.

Lateralgeez · Jul 22, 2015

Is that the tfi? It is new...
Sometimes when I let the clutch out it will honk the horn

a91what · Jul 22, 2015

Well you have some issues there.
go thru and fix all of the exposed wiring.

To replace the pip you must pull the cap and rotor off the dizzy. The pip sensor is actually the electronic "guts" inside the dizzy, when mine started to go bad I would get random miss fire only after the car warmed up. If you Google it you will get instructions.

Lateralgeez · Jul 23, 2015

a91what said:
Well you have some issues there.
go thru and fix all of the exposed wiring.

To replace the pip you must pull the cap and rotor off the dizzy. The pip sensor is actually the electronic "guts" inside the dizzy, when mine started to go bad I would get random miss fire only after the car warmed up. If you Google it you will get instructions.

Thanks for explaining. It wasn't easy to find but I think this is it. Distributor Ignition Pickup Standard LX 222 | eBay

Lateralgeez · Jul 23, 2015

"If an engine is experiencing repeated coil failures, the coils may be working too hard. The underlying cause may be high secondary resistance (worn spark plugs or excessive spark plug gap), or in rare cases a lean fuel condition (dirty injectors, vacuum leak or leaky EGR valve)."
How to Diagnose and Test an Ignition Coil

I did have very dirty injectors. Going to test the ignition coil.

Lateralgeez · Jul 23, 2015

The coil is good between + and - but I get no connection between + and output

a91what · Jul 23, 2015

According to the article your coil is bad... try testing the circuit with a noid light to see if the coil is getting a signal.
Pull a spark plug and attach it to the coil feed for the dizzy, ground the plug on the frame you should get a fat blue arc. I have always done it this way as I do not have a spark test tool. If in doubt replace it get a performance coil msd street fire is a good replacement, I prefer the accel coil.
replace the pip, the link you sent from eBay is correct, or get on summit racing they have a better selection

Lateralgeez · Jul 23, 2015

The coil is spitting out white blue spark.

a91what · Jul 23, 2015

OK are the injectors firing? Check them again.

a91what · Jul 23, 2015

Reread post #39.
Redo the tests.
I suspect you may have hit the ecu 12v.
if this is the case and your ecu is down its a lot of $.....
if it does turn out to be the ecu PM me I have an a9p in a box here somewhere..... it will require maf conversion.

a91what · Jul 23, 2015

252031985978 ebay item #
This might save you.

Lateralgeez · Jul 26, 2015

Had forgot to re connect ecu after installing new coil pack. It started and ran! Idled at 2k rpms. Then the smoke alarm went off because some wire resting against headers.

Lateralgeez · Jul 26, 2015

Thanks tool, 91, all you guys. Without your help I would have lost hope. Stangnet is the most helpful forum I've joined.

Quick recap of the events to date

Car sat for 3 years, empty fuel tank
Ran for a few weeks
Overheated when front freeze plugs rusted through
Ran on 3 cylinders, then quit
Turns out injectors were full of rust crud
Replaced injectors and fuel rail
Installed in line fuel filters
Replaced coil pack
Success

Also replaced plug wires, distributor hat and rotor, fixed bad tps wiring.

a91what · Jul 26, 2015

Good that it all worked out!

Lateralgeez · Aug 6, 2015

There is an autocross Saturday I'm hoping to make. So I changed my power steering pump. Turns out it is a 2002 Ford Explorer V6 pump. Haven't started it yet to see if it works. Here is the old fluid

Lateralgeez · Aug 6, 2015

I haven't been driving it because of the dirty fuel issue. I removed the fuel tank access panel and holy .

fuel pick up is ...

Inside the tank

And here is what I wiped off the bottom after pumping the tank dry.

I thought it was a rusty tank from sitting for 3 year. However, it doesn't seem that way. Somehow a lot of dirt has found its way into my tank. And that's not nice.

a91what · Aug 7, 2015

The crap in your tank clogged your fuel injectors

Lateralgeez · Aug 8, 2015

You're right on that! I suspected the misfire/no start issue was related to driving the dragon. Maybe the old fuel strainer was stiff from sitting with an empty tank. Then gas sloshing around broke it. Oh well. Eventually I will remove the tank and clean it. I work at a chemical company and my boss said use Metal Etch (our stuff) because it will remove both rust and dirt. Not sure what the active ingredients are but I know its not phosphoric acid so it won't leave a coating on the metal. Replaced the fuel filter last night and put a new strainer on. Now it's getting clean gas.

Now I have two main issues.

1. Backfires and misses a little. Probably the pickup sensor like you guys said. I bought a new distributor and timing light so hopefully that fixes it.

2. New power steering pump, still no power. I read that re-manufactured pumps are hit or miss. I think Autozone has a warranty so I'll try another one. Kinda sucks because swapping the pump is a messy pita.

a91what · Aug 8, 2015

I hate the power steering pumps. You are running a pump off of a explorer you said? I need to switch to a remote mount reservoir for my supercharger build..... hhmmm maybe that will work.

I hope the new dizzy clears up the misfire issue, it's a pita to chase a problem for what seems like forever.

Post up some new pics of that engine bay! I can't remember did you get an explorer intake?

a91what · Aug 8, 2015

If you ran the car with the new intake and injectors before cleaning the tank out.....
Pull the upper and retorque the lower manifold bolts then pull the fuel rail and check the injectors for junk from that tank! New filter too

87 5.0 Troubleshooting & Solutions

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