Hi
Had a problem with my el 4 litre today, hoping someone may be able to help
While driving on east link the motor stopped, was going fine then just stopped and would not restart, turned over ok but would not run, did not want to mess about on freeway to find out why so I just rang RACV and had it towed home, after charging the battery 3 hours later it started first go.
Suspect coil or dissy, both fairly new, problem is how do I find out without getting stuck on freeway again and needing a tow?
If the dissy is plays up will the tacho also play up
Any ideas please

TFI module or coil might be dying...I point towards the coil more seeing as the car started after you towed it home. A dying coil might work initially, but can fail once it heats up. Its location on the engine block doesn't help it keep cool either. TFI module, once fails, will fail...so you'd have to replace it.

In saying that though, if you say it works fine after a battery charging, your battery might be dropping cells. Check the alternator and battery to make sure they are in good order. Dying batteries can cause electrical issues.

TFI will come back to life once cooled down.
Coils generally die completely in one go.

I'd get a new dizzy. Can get genuine Bosch ones on ebay for around $160 now.
Don't touch the after-market ones.

Thanks for the advice
I was advised by a helpful gentleman at Autobarn to check I fitted the ignition module to the dissy properly, so I checked that, made sure the mounting faces were flat and clean put a thin even film of the white grease supplied, went for a 3 hour drive without any problem, only time will tell if it is fixed,

the same thing happened to my el a week ago.after cooling down after a run it started again but then failed to start later.turned out to be the dizzy

Always thought it was the other way around. I don't remember which way mine went, but both were replaced and haven't had issues.

Previously I owned an EL 4 litre petrol auto. The damn thing had issues and I could not figure out why. I replaced the coil and dizzy, leads, plugs and everything and the damn thing still does it.

Does your EL cough and splutter then go and f@rt then shudder and stop? One thing I did notice is that it runs hot(I know they run hot.) But it runs in the 'R' range on 'Normal', could this possibly be why?! my recently acquired XH Barley even hit the 'L' range.

Would love an explanation, been a pain in the butt for over a year!

Sounds like your car had a blown head gasket...

Any news on this. I have read about similar problem a few times now, the not starting when hot but being fine when cooled down. I am having this problem with my EL now and am trying to diagnose it.

Car always starts cold. Always. Only when it is hot does it not start. The engine will crank but I get no start, eventually the revs dies down and it sounds like the battery has gone flat. But then leave it to sit and cool down and blammo starts fine.

I tested the battery today, holy dooley how was it running, only held 11.6 V so I have it on charge now. Pulled out and tested the starter motor, it's fine as is the solenoid.

I read somewhere about the sensors on the exhaust playing up and tricking the car into thinking that the oil pressure is low and that means the fuelpump relay wont kick in.

Whatever you read is a load of crap...

The car will run without oil pressure... Will run without oil... That's how people seize motors... If you suspect this have you disconnected the fuel line to prove the fuel pump is indeed and flowing fuel when you crank it over?

The Hego in the exhaust helps the computer determine if it is running lean or rich... Has nothing to do with hot or cold... Now I think about it, I have no idea how any person could conclude that a sensor in the exhaust can read the oil pressure of the motor? Considering it has a oil pressure sensor which only drives the gauge/light in the cluster...

It wont be starter motor... Anyone could have told you that... You said it cranks over... So you've just ruled the starter out...

99% chance it's the TFI module on the side of the Dizzy... Ford use the dizzy as a heatsink to help the TFI remain cool... The dizzy is in the motor and hence it naturally runs red hot... Therefore the TFI module runs red hot too and inevitably all fail... The US model Ford's run the same set up and Ford America was sued for the design...

11.6V isn't bad for a battery not on charge just sitting there idle... 10V is the lower limit for a 12V battery where permanent damage occurs... You'd expect 14V when charging...

Cheers,
Tim

Thank you so much!

The way this guy described the sensor thing it made sense but now that you put it in such a simple way re the dizzy I have something that sounds much more normal and realistic to check out.

Thank you again.