1983 F100 ignition on 1968 F500

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dolinick
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1983 F100 ignition on 1968 F500

Post by dolinick »

I was thinking about taking the electronic ignition off of my 1983 F100 and installing it on my 1968 F500.
Both trucks have the 300 cubic inch straight six engine. My '68 is running rough and I think it could be related
to the rotor or cap or points or something like that. So since i'm already removing the engine from the 1983 and
"scrapping" it i thought maybe i should steal the ignition from it. Is this simple? Is this even a good idea?
Would it be considered an upgrade? The F100 is a high mileage truck and the F500 is a very low mileage truck.
Around 60,000 i think. It was an electric company utility truck when it was brand new. Anyway, I just thought
it might be something I could tinker with while it's cold and rainy and not spend any money. The F100 was running
when i got it but smoking very bad. The 3 speed manual transmission linkage was disconnected and the clutch fork falling
out and clutch push rod was bent when I got the truck so I never drove it. I just started it a few times then started stripping
the engine. Anyone want the old block? I got the head off already. um, yeah.

p.s. i'm gonna build a 'carport' for the F500. i'm thinking of using a 6x6 beam i got for the front door. Maybe it will be strong
enough to hoist engines with. if i make a frame strong enough then i can use my winch or a chain or something to remove and
intall engines and such. i already got a donor engine for the 1983 F100.

so yeah my 2003 F250 i'm still driving 7.3L diesel crew cab long bed six speed manual two wheel drive truck.
the 1979 GMC C20 prolly needs a head gasket. i tried to remove the wader pump but on bold was broked in there.
it's a 350 v8 and 4 speed granny tranny with a long bed and it's 2 wheel drive. rusty oklahoma farm truck.
my 1993 or 91 Ford Festiva runs but may need a battery and some kind of intake/exhaust leak and some kind of throttle or carb or injection problem.
The 1983 F100 3 speed column shift short bed 2wd has no bed now and don't know about the clutch or transmission yet.
also needs full interior including the seat rebuilt or replaced. :drive:
2003 7.3L F250
1968 F500 Utility Truck
cep62
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Re: 1983 F100 ignition on 1968 F500

Post by cep62 »

Wow !
If the '83 has the Duraspark that is an improvement over points .
get the box and the wire harness too.
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dolinick
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Re: 1983 F100 ignition on 1968 F500

Post by dolinick »

cep62 wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 8:38 pm Wow !
If the '83 has the Duraspark that is an improvement over points .
get the box and the wire harness too.
I got the ignition module and installed it in the F500 along with a distributor from another
duraspark equipped engine and the coil.

I got the truck running finally but it isn't happy. There is no power but it idles. I have only
tried adjusting the timing by ear.

Besides having 12 volts going directy to the ignition module with no ballast resistor the only other
thing I can think of is that there is a bad ground.
2003 7.3L F250
1968 F500 Utility Truck
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dolinick
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Re: 1983 F100 ignition on 1968 F500

Post by dolinick »

This morning when I got up I started working on the truck. I connected the red wire on the control module to the original positive
wire that had gone to the original coil and i added the white wire back to the starter solenoid like most of the diagrams show.
However the truck still ran poorly and had very little power. I took it for a test drive but it wasn't good. So I ended up checking
the spark plugs and ended up replacing all the spark plug wires with wires from my 1979 GMC C20. The truck still was running bad
but I decided to take it on another test drive. Then BOOM it hit me! I had wired the firing order 153624 counter clockwise instead
of clockwise! I pulled over on the grassy shoulder and changed the wires to the correct firing order. Before I turned the truck back
on I told my daugher and her dog Bella, "it's gonna run like a brand new truck." Then I started the truck and it did run like a new truck.
Very smooth!

Thank You for all your help. :woohoo:
2003 7.3L F250
1968 F500 Utility Truck
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dolinick
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Re: 1983 F100 ignition on 1968 F500

Post by dolinick »

153624
142635
2003 7.3L F250
1968 F500 Utility Truck
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