Coil?

[PilotFighter]

Well thought I had the old truck fixed. But it died again this morning at the feed store. The dang thing cranks and runs fine until the engine gets a little warm. Then it will start to spit and sputter, then die out. Once it gets cooled off again, it will start and run like a champ. Luckily the feed store is only 2 miles from the house. Anyone think it might be the coil going bad?

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Certainly a possibility.

I hate to "shotgun" parts at a car (mostly because I can't afford them). If you can, I'd say borrow a suitable coil (maybe from another rig) and run with it for a while. Coils can do that (die as they warm up, then recover as they cool). So could some of the early Ford electronic ignition modules.

 

[WFK]

Could be the coil.
If it is a plastic encased coil touch and feel for bulges or bubbles.
Shotgunning saves labor cost!
If it is poorly located (engine heat) it might easily die at 150,000 miles. Had a Mazda truck do that to me.

 

[Green Co.]

I've only worked on Chevy's the last 20 yrs. Had the same problem with one, it was the small coil that is below the plate inside the distributor. You must pull the distributor & remove the gear in order to slip this coil from the shaft.

I only figgered it out, 'cause I had replaced most everything else. Of course, after I replaced something, it would start & run, (it had cooled) 'till it warmed up again..

 

[Brutus]

My Dad had an '82 Ford F-150 that behaved this way - sort of - when the elctronic ignition conked out on it at about 70K. I was driving it down the road and it just died, going 50 mph. I got it pulled over, hit the key, it fired up and made it about another 2 miles and it died again. I walked to a house and called a friend of mine to come pull me home, and by the time I got back to the truck, it cranked once again but died before I pulled off the shoulder. When my buddy showed up I just had him pull me on to the Ford place and left it there for them to check out the next morning. They replaced the electronic ignition "black box" and that fixed it.

 

[PilotFighter]

It was still acting up, and left me stranded twice. But as soon as it got cooled down again it would start right up. Changed out the ignition module this morning. Have ran it all over the neighborhood to get it good and hot. Then come home and shut it off. So far it has cranked back up each time. Hopefully I might finally have it fixed. Crossing my fingers.