Ignition Module?? PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

[4Cruizn]

ARGH!  If I can't get it to start, my wife is making me sell it.  It's already on ePay, and if I get it goin', I can cancel the auction, and save her..if not..byebye sweetheart! 

I wouldn't sleep until I got that thing running!!          

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Do you have access to a volt meter? I would love to know what you have on the "+" side of the coil when the key is in the "on" position. If you have close to 10 volts, then your problem is not with the ignition system.

  Mike

[Bullitt-]

Go back to basics. pull a plug, ground it, hit ignition, spark yes/no
if yes find top dead center on #1 cyl,. be sure rotor points to #1, hook up timing light turn over & get set to about 3-8 degrees Before top dead center, If no use meter to test for continuity/voltages.                                          Is it getting gas,? Squirt some gas down carb. Is it flooded out already? Bad Gas? Try starting fluid. Hook up to high amp charger to augment voltages during cranking. Be sure choke is open a little at least.
 It's probably somthing simple that you are overlooking and maybe a combination of a couple of things.
Anyone ever have problems with a condenser?
 

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Go back to basics. pull a plug, ground it, hit ignition, spark yes/no
if yes find top dead center on #1 cyl,. be sure rotor points to #1, hook up timing light turn over & get set to about 3-8 degrees Before top dead center, If no use meter to test for continuity/voltages.                                          Is it getting gas,? Squirt some gas down carb. Is it flooded out already? Bad Gas? Try starting fluid. Hook up to high amp charger to augment voltages during cranking. Be sure choke is open a little at least.
 It's probably somthing simple that you are overlooking and maybe a combination of a couple of things.
Anyone ever have problems with a condenser?
 

You make some good points here. No, I wouldn't think the condenser is an issue if it won't even start. If you shoot starting fluid down the carb., it should respond even with a weak spark. You should look down the carb and be able to see if you are getting fuel or not. The distributor could still be 180 degrees out too. I made that mistake once.     

  Mike

[challenger72rt]

Do you have access to a volt meter? I would love to know what you have on the "+" side of the coil when the key is in the "on" position. If you have close to 10 volts, then your problem is not with the ignition system.

  Mike

There is fuel to the carb, and it's fresh, and I'm NOT getting spark.  This is the info we gathered last year when trying to trouble-shoot (we = my brother-in-law and me)

I suspect something is wrong in the electrical system that is causing the voltage loss, and that in turn is stopping the ignition from generating spark. Although it's possible the voltage has been low for a while, and it still used to work anyways, and a new problem has appeared.

The voltage on the ballast even with one end unclipped is still only around 9V. Again, even right on the alternator lug, it's still just 9V, even though it's a healthy 12V in the trunk at the battery.

So with the key off, the voltage at the alternator lug is healthy, but with the key on, something somewhere is consuming enough power (and likely through a bad connection) to drop 3V.

The circuit from the trunk to the test points is currently too dark and greasy to figure out.

With a test light on the coil +, it appears to "blink" from dim to brighter as the car is cranked, indicating to me that the ignition module is at least trying to toggle the coil. It just doesn't make a spark.

No spare coil was available to swap with, but coil is newish. Possible that it's healthy but just not getting enough current flow to generate a spark.

Ballast resistance was an ohm or two.

+ to - of coil was approximately 2 ohms.

+ to high voltage of coil was several K ohms.

No use trying starter fluid if I'm not even getting spark.  I will try to swap the module and coil tomorrow, and as mentioned, the coil is new and grounded.  I DO have a voltmetre, and plan on learning how to use it one day

[Bullitt-]

Coil test
This testing procedure is valid for just about any automotive coil. Using an ohmmeter, check the resistance between the side terminals of the coil. Do this with all fo the wires to the coil disconnected. You should see 0.75 to 0.81 ohm of resistance. Then check the resistance between either side terminal and the center high tension terminal. The reading should be 10,000 to 11,000 ohms. Any significant deviation from these numbers would indicate that the coil is defective.

Also a few days ago we were troubleshooting a rough running engine, the guy ran a separate pos. lead from the battery the coil bypassing all but the ignition module, coil & dist.

[ShelbyDogg]

Quickest way to test for spark if you know there is voltage at the + of the coil.  Pull the center spark plug wire from the coil and place the end close but not touching a valve cover. Pull off the Dist. cap and look at the 8 points of the reluctor wheel. Turn the rotor side to side to see if one of those points swings past the metal point of the pickup coil. If not, turn the engine a little at a time till one does.  Everytime you swing a reluctor point past the pickup point, the coil wire should SPARK. If not, check the pickup coil with an ohm meter first. look for an open (bad) or resistance (good).  If good, then change the module next.      During cranking, (key in start pos) the ballast resistor isn't being used so stop changing it.   We need to save your MOPAR!
Rob

[challenger72rt]

ok...just put a new coil and control module on the credit card, and as soon as the baby goes down for a nap, I'll see if they make a difference...fingers crossed!!

[challenger72rt]

AAARRRRGGGHHH!!  &#&*(*)%&%&^%*&() !!!!!!!!!

I installed the new coil and module...NOTHING!!! I am getting SO fed up!!!

[Robb]

its gotta be something simple.  start working your way through the chain, from the start

[MEK-Dangerfield]

its gotta be something simple.  start working your way through the chain, from the start

     

Going back and looking at your past post, have you figured out why there is only 9 volts coming into the ballast resistor? You will not have spark with the voltage that low.

  Mike

[challenger72rt]

hmmm...well, I can follow directions pretty well, but dunno jack on my own.  What could be possible causes for low balast resistor voltage? 

[MEK-Dangerfield]

hmmm...well, I can follow directions pretty well, but dunno jack on my own.  What could be possible causes for low balast resistor voltage? 

Is the battery fully charged? Are the cables on tight, and are the terminals clean? Sice the battery is mounted in the trunk, I'm wondering if there might be a voltage drop in the cable before it reaches your engine compartment. You did say this car ran in the past, didn't you?

  Mike

[challenger72rt]

Is the battery fully charged? Are the cables on tight, and are the terminals clean? Sice the battery is mounted in the trunk, I'm wondering if there might be a voltage drop in the cable before it reaches your engine compartment. You did say this car ran in the past, didn't you?

  Mike

Battery is fully charged.  Unhooked it, fully charged it with a charger, everything seems buttoned up tight..HOWEVER...the new coil is fatter than the other, so I can't install the the screw that tightens the 'O' ring that mounts the coil to the manifold.  Would it matter if the coil isn't air-tight in the 'O' ring?  It is tight to the manifold, but when I was tightening the wires to the coil terminals, the coil did/could slip around a touch...I would have to find a new screw long enuff if it makes a difference.  The trunk-mounted battery has never been a problem in 14 years.  And now is a gel battery instead of the pos Canadian Tire Megatron battery (which I ran all last year) 

I REALLY DO appreciate the help, guys.  This is my baby on life support here, so it matters a lot to me

[MEK-Dangerfield]

This kills me not being able to look at your car first hand.     This isn't a real complicated circuit really. If you are still getting 9 volts going into the ballast resistor, then it really doesn't matter about the coil at this point. It won't be getting enough voltage to spark.

  Mike