Engine suddenly dies

[IroquoisPliskin]

Hello! When trying to get my car into garage this evening I was confronted with a following problem: the engine suddenly died. First I thought that maybe I was to fast on the clutch but the engine would't start again. The sarter was working and I checked if there was a spark coming to the distributor (spark was there). But no life sign from the engine.
After while it started up and everything seemed ok but then it just went off as if it was switched off suddenly. I could repeat this few times but the engine would not stay on long enough to move the car into the garage. When it's running everything seems normal.
I hope someone experienced this already and still reminds the solution;)
Thanks!

[cudabob496]

had that once, ECU (orange box) was too close to header pipe.

[4Cruizn]

My orange box was the cause when that happened to me . . . .

[Denison636]

I use to have this issue when mine was warmed up. Do you it could be my box?

[cudabob496]

certainly seems like a bad orange box, if thats what you got?

But could also easily be bad/loose wiring.  Check all wires/connections/grounds in your
ignition system.

did you mess with the ignition system recently?

[IroquoisPliskin]

As you seem quite confident about the orange box beeing a cause of the trouble I was trying get a replacement box yesterday. Unfortunately the guy who runs the store with some moparts has sold the last piece just day before.
I didn't touch the ignition recently but I think my shaker seal rubber is very close to the orange box' plug. Possibly even touching. Maybe it caused some trouble.
Is there any method to check the function of the box without having replacement?

[cudabob496]

As you seem quite confident about the orange box beeing a cause of the trouble I was trying get a replacement box yesterday. Unfortunately the guy who runs the store with some moparts has sold the last piece just day before.
I didn't touch the ignition recently but I think my shaker seal rubber is very close to the orange box' plug. Possibly even touching. Maybe it caused some trouble.
Is there any method to check the function of the box without having replacement?

I'd buy from Summitracing.com

[cudabob496]

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=204335

[IroquoisPliskin]

Just before I did check if there is spark coming. It was not there this time. I measured voltage at the balast resistor terminals and also at the ignition coil while cranking. Both were zero V.

[Fern]

Had the same problem. Turned out to be the coil.

[Chryco Psycho]

could be a number of things from the bulkhead plug or steering column plug having intermittent connection , no voltage at the ballast means the problem is before the ECU as it is also powered from the ballast plug , trace it further back to firewall & column or ammeter connections

[IroquoisPliskin]

I'm afraid I've made a useless measurement yesterday, sorry for that. I've repeated everything today. I've attached a schematic of the wiring as seems to be used on my car.
Todays measurement:
Pos. 1: 11V with ignition on and 12.5V with starter on
Pos. 2: 12.5V with ignition on and 0V with starter on
Pos. 3&4: 12.5V with ignition on and 12.5V with starter on

The voltage over the balance resistor was 0V with ignition on and 0.4V with starter on. The resistance was 0.9-1.4 Ohm. Sometimes I've measured endless resistance. I think I need to clean up the terminals of the resistor anyway but 0.9 seems to be correct, isn't it?

From this measurement I'd say everything is fine so far but still no spark is coming which means the orange box or the coil causes the issue. What's your opinion?

[Chryco Psycho]

0.9 seems right , ballast could be bad if you get 0 volts or infinite resistance ever .
 you can easily tst the coil buy feeding 12v to + & connecting the coil to ground directly , by disconnecting the ground  it will create a spark as soon as you disconnect , no spark the coil is bad , if the coil creates a spark then I would suspect the ECU is bad

[IroquoisPliskin]

Thanks! I did as you say and I could create the spark by doing so. I'll try to get a replacement orange box. Does it make sense to get the chrome box instead?
Do you know how the box works? Is there any schematics on it somewere?

[IroquoisPliskin]

Another question: Can I measure the signal from the distributor? How it should look like?