Update on Electric Gremlins

[cudabob496]

Something lose in the distributor? Gotta be it! Magnetic pickup lose and therefore grounded.

[cudabob496]

http://www.moparaction.com/tech/archive/roadside.html

[71 DEPUTY]

hi Mike- sorry- busy weekend and for the first time in a long time I haven't checkup here! ( over 13 pages to view!!! )

ok!-
voltage at bal res. vol at coil (4+ with ign switch on)-***** kinda a real low- should be up around 8-9 volts at least!!!!
check with ign.sw. on- light blue with  yellow tracer- should be same as the dark blue wire- about 12 volts
black/yellow- about 12 volts( - of coil because it is not  firing the coil- back feeding power from the + side of the coil!!! )

just because you see some voltage to the system dosen't mean it is working correctly- a bad connection else where will cause you problems- at the time you test for voltage is where the system is at rest- when it really needs the power to fire the coil- the voltage will drop like a rock- so recheck the bulkhead connections( mostly the dark blue ing. power wire! ) the connector for the ign. switch below the steering colum- see if it has a burnt look on the plastic!!!!

anything else Mike- email me!!

John Mac

lastly confirm this please:
with all wires off of neg side of coil
attach seperate wire to neg side and loose on other end
pull coil wire and leave near metal
than ground off new wire, should see spark?

[Bullitt-]

What 71 Deputy said is right on..seems a jumper wire from the +side of the battery to the input of the ballast resistor would easily prove or disprove this as the problem.... One of the local club members(electrical engineer) was having starting issues due to voltage loss in the harness  & came up with a solution involving of all things....electronics..
http://www.tvmoparclub.com/files/tech/Quick%20Start%20Relay.pdf

[Mike71Cuda]

Tried teh jumper wire and I see spark!
Bought a new coil, check res. in bal res. have good voltage at bal res/coil wire
clean up any loos ewiring and checked on bulkhead, disconnected and reconnected. Looks like some progress!
Thanks for all your help.
Any more suggestions?
Smitty

[Mike71Cuda]

Still no sparky!
Since seeing the spark I cranked engine and saw spark (not much, but did)
reconnectd everything and now still can't get it started.
Have Fuel-check
plugs-wires gap etc-check
starter all setup-check
alt. good-check
new coil/vol reg/ecu/mag p/u-check

11.3 on bal res.
same at coil wire to coil
I can only get back to car every couple days, have younger kids (sports etc) but this is getting old! Help gang.

[cudabob496]

Have you inspected the inside workings of the distributor?

[Mike71Cuda]

Cudabob
I have replaced the mag. p/u, otherwise it seems to be all intact. air gap at .008
cap and rotor fine, plug wires good, new plugs gapped right

[Bullitt-]

You stated that with the jumper wire you did have some spark, then state that you "can't get it started".   
Are you saying
1. that with the jumper wire it would not start. (proves that ignition is functional and you may have other issues)
2. without the jumper wire there is no spark. (proves problem is getting power to ignition)
3. without the jumper wire there is spark but won't start. (makes me think there are other issues) 

[Mike71Cuda]

Bullitt
#2 (is my assumption, based on spark with jumper-remove, try to fire up and nothing)

Confirmed spark with jumper wire (new coil too)
reconnected everything (wires), jumper wire off
cranked and nothing
Doing this solo so it is tuff

Am I missing the obvious here?

[Bullitt-]

IF you get spark at the spark plugs, you have fuel & your timing is even close there should be some sign of ignition.....are you sure you are getting fuel? Looking down the carburetor push the throttle open & you should see a spray of fuel from the accelerator pump. If the car has been sitting for a while with fuel in it the accelerator pump circuit can get clogged with dried up fuel.

[Mike71Cuda]

Bullitt and all
Still no luck!
I absolutely have fuel, had to plug a leak
I had a jumper earlier and I saw spark when I grounded it off.
Checked my mag. p/u seems to be fine
cranked motor and watched rotor/reluctor turn all good here
replaced cap and rotor
Thought I was in good shape so went to fire up and nothing,
thouhgt dist may be way out turned bioth ways nothing
but also pulled coil wire and cranked near metal to see if I get any kind of spark jumping, but did not see one
Also check voltage all around
new battery has 12+
8.6v at bal in on pos. other side had 4.25v  (engine side-what happened here???)
check volatge at coil
whiele cranking it was 2.5-2.6v
At rest it was 4.10-4.11v

All of this testing as done solo so I was jumping the starter relay (so that eliminates if it were in ignition wiring atthe steering col., right?

[MEK-Dangerfield]

I have no suggestions, but you should be measuring about 12 volts going into the ballast resistor with the key in the "on" position. So something is loading it down. You have already tried other ignition coils and ignition modules, didn't you? Maybe the ignition module isn't grounded to the body?

  Mike

[Mike71Cuda]

I agree.
last go round it was 11.3, not sure what happened.
Yes tried my buddy's coil then went out and bought a new one
Had the ECU off already and scratched some more paint off firewall, so I agree here too, but did it already. Yes I had a chrome box that worked with my 440, had a spare orange box and went out and bought a black box at AutoZone.
I thought I had this thing beat but it still comes back to bite me!
I guess maybe to rip down all electrical components that are tied in and start over. Is there anything else electric wise I am missing Firewall/fuseblock/sterring column that I could be overlooking?
Thanks everyone for your help
Smitty

[Bullitt-]

If you put the jumper on Pos battery to input of ballast resistor you are getting fire, if I read your posts correctly so from there forward is not your problem. The voltage drop is due to poor connections, failed components such as the ignition switch. It's just going to be a matter of tacking down the culprits, no easy task.
I still would like to see if you can actually start the car with the jumper in place.