86 dodge 250 v8-318 no fire at spark plug, will not start

Possible pick up coil

Sounds like a bad coil. But a sensor like a module or an aging distributor cap and rotor are the most suspect. Take off the distributor cap and see if a white powdery substance is building up scrape it clean with a sharp knife... it may run for a few months best to replace the rotor and distributor cap

I had to replace the magnetic pick-up sensor on the side of the distributor that tells the coil when to fire on my 86 truck. It was $80 and slips onto the distributor held on by the cap.

1. The ignition system on your 5.0L uses a distributor type system and will include the following components:
   1. Ignition control module (ICM). Depending on the year of your specific Ford, it'll have a inner-fender mounted ignition control module or a distributor mounted ignition control module. hot sure which you have.
   2. Ignition coil. you replaced it.
   3. PIP (Profile Ignition Pickup) sensor. This is Ford's name for the crank sensor and is mounted inside the distributor. The most common name for this component is the pick up coil.
   4. Distributor cap and rotor. you replaced
   5. Spark plug wires. you replaced.
2. The thing to keep in mind about the ignition system is that all engine cylinders must get spark and the one thing that will stop the ignition system from creating spark on a wholesale scale is a BAD crank sensor.Have you pulled a plug then using some insulated pliers grounded it to the vehicle and turned it over to see if you have spark, that'll tell you alot.takes two people of course.Best of luck and hope this helps.

Replace the distributor cap and rotor. If you have fire from the coil but not from the distributor cap, you have a bad contact point between the cap and rotor. Replace both and you should be good to go,, if the information that you have supplied is correct.

Hello first of all

In reading your issue at hand not having no spark there is only a few things that can cause this being that its a 1988 car i will list below what you need to go over and check.

1.spark plug wires
2. distributor cap
3. ignition rotor
4. coil pick up
5. faulty distributor

That being said most are a easy and cheap fix plug wires run about 20-35 bucks autozones duralast brand , distributor cap runs between 7-18 bucks , ignition rotor 3-8 bucks , coil pick up about 15-30 bucks all at autozone.

Now there is no real way to tell if there bad but a good examination of the distributor cap and rotor should tell you corroded inside cracked worn down.

i would start with distributor cap , ignition rotor, coil pick up if the car starts after this replace spark plugs wires. If that does not fix it most likely you distributor is faulty itself.

i hope it helps if so could you leave me so 4 thumbs up feedback thanks so much

Hi, Hope I can help you.
I do not know how you have checked for spark, but lets start from the beginning.
Lets start with an ignition systems check.
1. I want you to remove the high voltage coil wire. ( That's the wire in the center of the distributor cap.) Using a good pair of insulated pliers. I want you to hold it about 1/4 inch from a good engine ground. Now you will need a bit of help from a partner. Get them to turn the key and crank the engine. You should see a bright blue and well defined spark. Ok, If you have spark I want you to slowly move the coil wire away from the engine ground. As you do this I want you to pay attention to the coil tower. (The coil tower is where the other end of the coil wire is attached.) What your looking for is arcing and sparking at the coil tower. If this happens then you need to replace the coil with a new one. If this does not happen then your coil is working fine, and we will have to move on.
Note if you do not get spark from the coil wire replace the coil.

2. Ok if you have spark now we have find out if the spark is making it to the spark plugs. How are we going to do this? By checking the rotor, distributor cap, spark plug wires and spark plugs.First lets remove the distributor cap. This will allow use to inspected the rotor and the distributor cap. What your looking for is, cracks, carbon tracks and wear at the tip of the rotor. On the distributor ,look inside the cap for cracks, carbon tracks and wear on the terminals. If you find any of this replace the distributor cap and rotor. ( Note if you have any doubt of the condition of the rotor or the cap replace them.) Next lets check your spark plug wires. Lets pull off one of the spark plug wires from the spark plug side. Now inspect the wire connection for a white crusty powder. If you find crust replace your wires. Now you should check all of them the same way, but if even one has corrosion replace them all. You are going to have to inspect the wire its self . Going down the whole length of the wire. Holes cracks burn Marks and other damage. Once again if you find any damage replace them all.
I hope this will help you and good luck to all the read this FixYa

Hi, Hope I can help you.
I do not know how you have checked for spark, but lets start from the beginning.
Lets start with an ignition systems check.
1. I want you to remove the high voltage coil wire. ( That's the wire in the center of the distributor cap.) Using a good pair of insulated pliers. I want you to hold it about 1/4 inch from a good engine ground. Now you will need a bit of help from a partner. Get them to turn the key and crank the engine. You should see a bright blue and well defined spark. Ok, If you have spark I want you to slowly move the coil wire away from the engine ground. As you do this I want you to pay attention to the coil tower. (The coil tower is where the other end of the coil wire is attached.) What your looking for is arcing and sparking at the coil tower. If this happens then you need to replace the coil with a new one. If this does not happen then your coil is working fine, and we will have to move on.
Note if you do not get spark from the coil wire replace the coil.

2. Ok if you have spark now we have find out if the spark is making it to the spark plugs. How are we going to do this? By checking the rotor, distributor cap, spark plug wires and spark plugs.First lets remove the distributor cap. This will allow use to inspected the rotor and the distributor cap. What your looking for is, cracks, carbon tracks and wear at the tip of the rotor. On the distributor ,look inside the cap for cracks, carbon tracks and wear on the terminals. If you find any of this replace the distributor cap and rotor. ( Note if you have any doubt of the condition of the rotor or the cap replace them.) Next lets check your spark plug wires. Lets pull off one of the spark plug wires from the spark plug side. Now inspect the wire connection for a white crusty powder. If you find crust replace your wires. Now you should check all of them the same way, but if even one has corrosion replace them all. You are going to have to inspect the wire its self . Going down the whole length of the wire. Holes cracks burn Marks and other damage. Once again if you find any damage replace them all.
I hope this will help you and good luck to all the read this FixYa

Check the hall effect switch in the distributor. That will cause this problem for no spark

IF COIL IS NOT FIRING DO YOU HAVE BATTERY VOLTAGE AT COIL IF SO YOU EITHER HAVE A PICK UP ASSEMBLY IN DISTRIBUTOR BAD OR PCM NOT SURE WHAT THIS SYSTEM IS USING TO TRIGGER COIL THE COIL HAS TO BE ENERGIZED VIA BATTERY VOLTAGE WHEN THE COIL IS TRIGGERED TO FIRE THE FIELD THAT HAS GENERATED INSIDE COIL COLLASPES CREATING SPARK IF COIL IS GOOD YOU HAVE VOLTAGE TO COIL THEN IT,S NOT BEING TRIGGERED