I have a 1988 F-150 302 v8 EFI. I was flushing cooling system with the engine idling and it suddenly idled high and then died as I tried to give it a little bit of gas. The radiator drain was open as I was filling it to flush it and thermostat removed. Engine had been running an hour or so it never reached close to operating temp as I was able to touch the water coming out the drain. The engine was running on and off as I shut it off to empty the drain pan. I was using distilled water and not tap water. It would crank, but by the looks of it no spark. I filled it with 5 gallons of gas, as I didn’t know if fuel gauge is accurate the truck hasn’t been filled up yet in the few months I’ve owned it. Still wouldn’t crank. So then I sprayed brake cleaner down the intake and still wouldn’t fire. Then I took an extra spark plug and put one of the spark plug wires on it and had someone crank the engine while I held it against a grounded surface and no spark. (Not sure if test was done properly put the end of the spark plug on the letters on intake manifold sideways, will repeat this test tomorrow.) I was wondering if anyone had any ideas what was wrong. I was thinking water got into something. Pulled distributor cap off no water in the bottom, and I need to take it off again to check the cap.

 

Forgot to mention unplugged the plug under the distributor I think it’s the ignition module, not sure though.

 

Plugged it back in when I put everything back together to flush

 

Tried to start it this morning, it gallops now won’t start.

 

It cranks normal now and then it does the gallop like crank, after blowing out the distributor.

 

Now it cranks normal after blowing out the ignition module plug

 

Sanded down the distributors contact points with steel wool, solved the problem.