If a vehicle has an electronic ignition system, does it have a coil? I’m going up the wall trying to locate the coil on a 2000 F-150, six cyl., so I can install a tach. I have the shop manual that shows a coil, but, it ain’t where the picture shows it. Anyone familiar?
Assuming your truck has the 4.2 liter V6, follow one of your spark plug wires back to the box where they all plug in. That’s your coil.
FWIWl, electronic ignition typically means you don’t have points, right? Maybe I’m wrong, but I assumed that all cars have had “electronic ignition” since, well, points have disappeard.
You may have trouble getting a tach to work with that kind of coil. If I remember correctly, that coil fires two plugs at once(one of them fires on a cylinder on the exhaust stroke so it doesn’t do anything). It doesn’t have the old fashioned kind of coil that provides spark to a distributor.
Electronic ignition systems replaced points in about 1975 here in the states. The electronic part refers to how the coil is turned on and off to make the spark. In a points distributor the points act as a switch, when the points close the circuit is completed and the coil charges, when the points open, the coil fires and the high voltage is produced to make the spark.
Nowadays there are many engine management systems that do not even have a distributor any longer. On a system like this there is a pickup that reads crankshaft (usually) position and then the electronic control unit send a signal to coil maybe for 1 cylinder or maybe for 2 cylinders) to charge and at the correct moment, fire the plug(s) In this type of system there is no distributor.
Not knowing which engine you have in your truck.
Word of warning!
be very careful working around the electronic ignition system for a couple of reasons, first off some of these systems have some major league voltages on the high voltage side, and secondly if you start cutting or splcing into the wires, you might make a very large paperweight out of your truck.
Make sure you have correct, clear instructions that apply to your truck.
4.2 liter engine.
…and, BERKUT, the wires do go into the picture you referred to…and no where else. Which was why I was looking for the coil…the can shaped device we are all familiar with from older cars.
The installation picture shows a wire to the coil…or…to an electronic ignition, which was why I asked the question. It also shows a ‘tach’ connection on the electronic ignition box, but, that I don’t see. Any other place I can go with this wire, or, is it a lost cause?
You need to call the tachometer manufacturer and ask them where to get your tach signal from.
For instance, here is a page from the Autometer website that shows some of the more modern hookups.
Coincidently, I have an Auto Meter tach.
I E mailed the tech address, and I recieved the following :
You will need to use a model # 9117 Tachometer Adapter. You will locate the
red wire with a light green stripe at the ignition coil pack, cut the wire in
half and wire the adapter between the two cut halves. The adapter will have its
own tachometer output port.
Thank you.
Cory
Tech/Service
I guess that’s my solution. Thanks to all for your in put.
Oh, and this ignition coil pack is right on top of the engine…where a carb would go…and you can’t believe the places I looked trying to find it. Duh! :smack:
As Rick pointed out, the term electronic ignition means no mechanical points. 99.99% of all cars on the road today have this. What the OP is refering to is called a distributor-less ignition and is becoming common, but is not universal (i.e. lots of cars still use mechanical distributors).