I have a 1988 Lincoln Town Car 5.0 V8 base model with 114,000 miles, I gave the car a tune up, changed the spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, pcv valve, and fuel filter. The car ran a little rough after all of that and suddenly cut out after taking it for a long test drive and died, now there's no spark but the engine still cranks. I changed the coil pack and the ICM afterwards to see if I would get some spark back but had no luck. I'm stumped, when I try to start the car I can smell the gas and everything sounds like it should but there's no spark to turn the car over. The battery is fully charged too. Any ideas on what it could be? Any help is appreciated.
Double check to make sure the distributer cap and rotor are installed correctly. I haven't messed with one in decades but I remember some rotors aren't notched and can be installed in the wrong position.
Sorry, I double checked and see it did start after installing the cap and rotor. Did any wires come loose ?
Nope, all the wires are tight, it's not getting any spark sent to the coil pack from what it seems
How old is the alternator?
I'm not sure how old it is, I bought the car back in August of this year to try and restore it, but the alternator passed the test auto zone has.
Have you removed the wire from the ignition coil that goes to the distributer cap while someone tries to start the engine and actually can see there is no blue spark? If there is no spark at the coil I would suspect the coil, ICM or alternator. If yes then the distributer components are suspect.
Yes, I attempted to do that, I plugged a spark plug directly into the ignition coil wire and touched it to the engine, there was no spark.
Then try the test @jack62 has described below.
If the ignition coil isn't producing spark, first, take off the distributor cap and see if you can spin the rotor by hand.
You shouldn't be able to.
Then crank the engine and make sure the distributor is turning.
OK, with that out of the way, your new ignition coil only needs 2 things to create spark.
It needs constant Power (KEY ON) ((12 volts + or - [battery voltage])) and it needs a Ground that's being switched ON/OFF.
You may want to check which one of those 2 are missing.
Here's your ignition coil:
Grab a test light and steal a straight pin from your wife's sewing basket.
1) With the wiring connector still attached, "back pin" the 12 volt side of the connector.
Turn the key to ON.
Attach the test light's alligator clip to the Negative battery post and touch the test light's probe to the pin.
The light should light up. If it does you have Power to the ignition coil. If it doesn't, start checking fuses and wiring.
2) Next, check for the Ground Switching Signal from the ICM.
Move your pin and back pin the other side of the connector.
Move the test light's alligator clip to the Positive battery post.
Touch the test light's probe to the pin as you have somebody crank the engine.
The test light should quickly flicker ON/OFF.
If it flickers ON/Off then your ICM is providing the switching signal.
If it doesn't flicker ON/Off then the ICM isn't providing the Ground Switching Signal.
One of these 2 is missing. Either Power or the Ground Switching Signal.
So let us know which is missing.
I guarantee you that this forum isn't lacking "old timers" which can walk you through troubleshooting a 1980's Ford ignition circuit
Did you use an OEM ignition module or a Chinese knockoff?
It's not a Motorcraft ICM but the box says Made in USA I think it was a WVP brand? The one I replaced was a cheap Chinese one though
How old is the pickup coil inside the distributor? Is the wiring OK? (On a car that old everything is suspect.)