So I drove the truck this morning and then parked it in the garage (8am).  This afternoon I was going to come out and tune it a little because it was giving me some hesitation when accelerating but it wont start.  I checked and it is getting gas and I know the time is right because it was running this morning and I have not touch anything.  I am working by myself so I am having a hard time checking to see if I am getting spark.  I am running the flamethrower III and the Ignitor III, it has brand new (three weeks ago) plugs and wires.  I had a faulty Ignitor the first time and have been told that almost never happens, could it have happened to me twice?  can somebody suggest a plan of attack and a way of testing spark when you are working alone?

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

Get a remote starter switch from the local parts store.  You can then crank the engine from under the hood.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

wife came home and had her crank it and I had the timing light on the spark wires and nothing.  Then put it on the coil to dizzy wire and nothing, this method works right?  I can use this to know that I have no spark coming from the coil correct.  I checked the coil and it is working so I am thinking that the ignitor is crapped out on me again.  Any thoughts?

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

I understand how you feel.  I lost three Pertronix units.  One time was my fault for leaving the ignition on overnight.  Never exactly sure about the other failures.  Went back to points with that motor. 

I did find a problem in the distributor when I tore the engine down.  The very top of the shaft had been hit by something like a hammer, but not by me .  You couldnt see it unless looking hard, but the top was mushroomed.  Effect was to make rotor seating almost impossible, eating up rotor and cap prematurely.  The same dist. was in use with the Pertronix units.  Perhaps it was the cause.

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

I am thinking of going with the MSD distributor, it is a lot of money but I have not heard anything bad about them.  This might be because nobody wants to spend this much money but I really want to not worry about being stranded.

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

I emailed the company that I bought the ignitor from and the guy there has been great, he says I can send it back and either get another one or my money back.  He seems to feel bad about getting two bad ones, again I though and he thinks these things are bullet proof but I have had two bad ones already.  I think I might take my money and put it toward the MSD distributor which has the built in electronic ignition.  Not that I think I would get a third bad one but just for piece of mind at this point.  I think I would start to be afraid to drive it places that I thought I might get stuck.  Anybody have a bad experience with MSD?

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

Was going to get a remote start switch tomorrow and thought I should ask if there would be a problem with using this with the ignitor.  I know that if you leave the key in the run position it can burn out the ignitor, is there any chance of something like this using the remoter switch?

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

No problems with MSD on my end and is slowly becoming my ignition system of choice over Mallory.

 

As far as remote starters go, no issues there as they are simply turning the engine over.  It’s leaving the key ON with the engine not running where ignition systems like to fail.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

If your starting system is original and intact, you don't even have to turn the key on to check for spark.  The remote switch engages the solenoid, and the resistor bypass circuit will supply voltage to the coil while cranking.  If no spark in this mode, then turn the key on and try it.  If you have spark this way, the resistor bypass circuit is at fault.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Thanks john, bought a remote switch today and hope to find some garage time this afternoon.  Will see what I find.

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford