ride wont fire

['Cuda Hunter]

74 charger 318 two barrel. 
Got gas primed in the system.
Engine cranks fine.
No spark.
What's the first thing that I should check?

[dutch]

if you have another ecu laying around, I`d start with that.

[brads70]

Ballast Resistor ? Coil? Wiring issue?

[Bullitt-]

I'd start by seeing if I could get a plug wire to arch to ground while cranking... if not there's a myriad of issues to cover.
... 12V getting to n thru the ballast resistor, voltage getting to coil, rotor button broken..on n on as to why no spark.. 

[ShelbyDogg]

First thing I do is pop of the dist cap then move my rotor so the reluctor swings past the pickup point. The advance weights allow this to happen if you bump the engine to the right spot. Also have the coil wire close to a valve cover to see/hear the spark. Turn on ignition.  No spark? I plug a spare distributor into the plug and spin the shaft with my fingers to check for spark. No spark, change out ECU.   Do all this after making sure ECU connector and pickup connectors are tight.

['Cuda Hunter]

So, I honestly wouldn't think a wiring issue as it was running 1.5 years ago.
Somewhere in that time the car just stopped starting.  So he sold it.  It has sat in the same spot for ten years or so. He would start it every couple months.

So, key switch is bad.  Someone has wired in a remote starter switch.   Works fine.  Cranks forever.

No spark from the coil wire on anything. 

So your suggestions in order are

ECU
Ballast Resistor
Coil

And then of course the miriaid begins if not one of those parts.

  thanks guys. 

[ShelbyDogg]

Did you check the ballast resistor for voltage? If the keys switch is bad, probably not getting voltage to coil. Hook up a Hotwire to ballast resistor then crank.

[acudadude]

See this website for trouble shooting
http://www.fourforty.com/techstuff/ignition.html

['Cuda Hunter]

So, I have replaced the following items with known good match's from another ride I have that works.

Switched this. no change


switched this, no change


switched this, no change


ballast is freakin beautiful.  Nicest one of my fleet.

['Cuda Hunter]

This is what is going on with the starter switch.
I push a button inside and turn the key to get a start.  the two red wires heading towards the drivers door. 



Now, when I am cranking with the button and key to the on position the starter turns.
When I turn the key a little further, to actuate the starter position, the alternator voltage jumps up during the actuation. 
Should I be turning the key at the same time as pushing the button to get the thing to fire. 

Well, I got no fire anyway.

['Cuda Hunter]

And I don't know what this is.  None of my other mopars have this.

[ShelbyDogg]

Seat belt interlock bypass switch. Car won't crank unless your seatbelt is fastened. This little button lets you press it to bypass it. Did you check for voltage at the resistor?  I'm out, good luck.

[1 Wild R/T]

The last button probably explains the rest of the mess... It is a bypass switch for the seat belt sensors... Guessing your car is a 73-4? Chrysler added a weight sensor to the front seats, if theres weight the seat belt needs to be fastened for the starter to engage... change the seat belts=no start, don't fasten the seat belts=no start.. Any part fails=no start...  If your bypass push button cranks the starter then all that crap isn't your problem... They have nothing to do with spark...

You've tried swapping most of the parts the distributor is the last common failure, actually the pickup coil in the distributor & often it hasn't failed just the gap between the coil & the reluctor is to wide.... the spec is .008-.012 & I lean to the .008 end... Don't use a steel feeler gauge as the coil side is magnetic so what seems like .008 is often .020+... Either brass or plastic... Personally I usually just eyeball it but I've done this stuff for allot of years & can get it closer than most people would think...

['Cuda Hunter]

Coil has 7.8 during button push and key turned to starter position. 
With just button pushed it sits at 6.

Working on checking everything. 

 I will check the reluctor gap. 

Thanks again everyone.

[acudadude]

Can you test red wire that goes to ballast for voltage with a meter or test lite and post findings. Then can you test coil + side for volts or test lite this of course is done with the key or switch in the on position . Last can u remove dist cap and see if the rotor spins when u crank over