HEI conversion trouble! NEED HELP ASAP!!

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

UPDATE: I have been working all week to regain control of my life. This thing has been a nightmare.

   

• Hot lead is hot during crank and while key is on. So wire connection is correct.
• I take this thing out and it works PERFECTLY on the bench. You put it back in and get no spark!! 
• I have Checked my ground, connected the hot lead directly to the battery. Still no spark
• Ran a direct wire from the body of the HEI to a body as solid ground. No spark
• The rotor turns and the dist seats perfectly.   
• I have checked the #1 Position it is correct.   

   With all this done I take it out and hook it up to a battery on a bench, this thing will light your A$$ up. Works fine out of the car. This has made it hard to trouble shoot as you take it back to the shop where I got it and it works when they test it. 
   WTF?

        

[Super Blue 72]

Freaky.  Real curious why it doesn't work in the car....

Can the shop where you bought it offer some suggestions?     The manufacturer can help? 

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

Because they can see it work on the bench ok they are not offering much help. They think if there is an issue it is with the car. I have had 2 mechanics come to the house and look at it and they say the issue is with the dist. No streight story here. We have taken the car out of the pic by bypassing it to the battery the same way you would on the bench, but it does not fire. Or you get one spark then it goes dead. I am at a total loss. 

[tactransman]

We have taken the car out of the pic by bypassing it to the battery the same way you would on the bench, but it does not fire.

That to me tells you ,the dist is bad.

[moper]

Are you sure it's the correct distributor? Like the shaft is connecting to the oil pump drive? Does the rotor turn when the engine cranks and the distributor is in it? How are you holding it, or wiring it, when you bench test it?

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

Are you sure it's the correct distributor? Like the shaft is connecting to the oil pump drive? Does the rotor turn when the engine cranks and the distributor is in it? How are you holding it, or wiring it, when you bench test it?

Yes the dist is correct for the small block dodge. Yes it is going into the pump drive and seating properly. It took a little smoothing, but went right in and turns perfectly.

The guys that have benched it. Took the dist and grounded it to a battery or metal table then ran a hot lead from the + of the battery to the lead on the dist. Pluged in a spark plug wire, and plug. Turn the roator while grounding the plug on the metal table and it lightes up ( Sparking )

Put it back in the car and do the same thing and you get maybe one spark then nothing as it turns. This is on the correct wiring or direct to the battery.
 
It has everyone stumped. I am about to just go back to the old dist style If I can not get this thing running in the next day or so.

[Super Blue 72]

Is the engine block grounded properly? 

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

Yes, I put in a brand new ground wire. Cleaned and replaced the ground to the engine via the battery. And at one point I ran a jumper cable to the frame during cranking all with no effect.


Please I would like everyone to know that you have really helped me with this and I thank you. I know I may not get this going but you have been really helpful!!! 

[Super Blue 72]

I'm wondering if the ballast needs to be by passed?

In addition to the link that Terry posted, it is in this Allpar article on how to convert the Mopar ignition to HEI.

If going through the article is no help, you might want to email the author of the article.  You might have to join the Allpar forum if you haven't already to contact him or to just ask the same question over there. 

[Super Blue 72]

Also look here.  There's something about the bracket that mounts the distributor and you can get rid of thr ballast.

http://www.designed2drive.com/

Another for thought...

http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Tech/MoparHEIConversion.htm


http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/parts/engine/mopp_0403_dui_hei_distributor_part_review/index.html

[BruteForce]

I'd try connecting the distributor directly to the battery, both power and ground connections, with test leads.

Also, pull the distributor cap off and verify that the rotor turns when the engine is cranked.

[Chryco Psycho]

I believe he already tried that with dist in the car & a jumper to the battery & nothing happened , all I can think is to verify the rotro is turning , if is is not you will have the symptoms you describe

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

Yes, when I started that was the issue. But the dist seats fine and the rotor turns with ease.
I have buypassed the ballest. Good thing to I think it was going bad and broke apart when I removed it in the back. So thank god for little favors.

  So, the mistery continues... If anything I'm finding some great things to repair. Even if it isn't helping the problem at hand. 

[71chally416]

It troubles me that you are using a cheapo test light and not a multimeter. Put a multimeter on both your battery and on the lead you are hooking to the distributor and see what voltage it reads when the key is on. I don't know what your distributor needs to properly operate, but I'm guessing 11-12volts.  I know the motor is turning over, but it don't take much to spin over a high mileage 318. 

[Chryco Psycho]

well I have no clue , if you have 12v power to the dist & it is not going into the ballast ,which it shouldn`t & the rotor is turning & it wortks on the bench connected the same way & still will not fire even with a 12 V jumper form then battery it simply makes no sense to me other than you Mopar doesn`t want a GM ign system
 The other point is I have no clue why you want a GM HEI system in the first place , the system starts breaking down around 5000 rpm & is nowhere near as reliable as the Mopar system IMO