Coil stays hot (temp) all the time???

[coletrain777]

hey guys,
Quick question: What would cause the coil to get/stay hot even with the car not running? This is on a car with a 390FE. If I leave the battery terminals connected the coil gets hot and stays hot? Any ideas as to what this would be???

[70_F100]

Either the ignition switch or a short in the wiring.

It has to have voltage/current going to the coil to make it get hot.

[fordman]

the coil gets an extra boost at start of of a full 12 volts from the brown wire on the fender relay. the other power sourse going to the coil is the ignition resistor wire. to give the coil power all the time while running. this is all i can tell you for sure. soem guesses could be soemthign in the ignition switch or the relay on the fender. or some crossed wires someplace. the brown wire on the relay shoul dbe on the back small terminal. and the red one on the front small terminal.

[michael69]

My guess would be the ignition switch is bad.Sometimes when they go bad they do not turn off all the way even when key is turned all the way off and it still lets power pass though. If not switch its a short somewhere.

[ToughOldFord]

How is the truck turning off if the coil's hot all the time? That's how you hot wire a points type ignition. Assuming it still has points in it of course. And if it has been converted that could be the problem right there, it might be improperly wired. Start with the basics, use a test light and check for current at the terminals of the coil with the ignition off.

[coletrain777]

So...
No idea what was going on but the coil isn't receiving power all the time now??? Not sure but whatever it was it's not a problem anymore. Who knows, the car has sat for the last 21 years in a barn, lots of gremlins to figure out.