Suddenly lost igniton

[Ornamental]

Having a muscle car sure helps builiding muscles, having to push it around. At least now I'm out of the way now.

Thank you JayBee!
Luckily I got some tools with me.
Even got a spare blue electronic box at home, not too far away from where I'm at now. I will try to replace it. I got a stock electronic ignition, golden box, don't know if that's significant in any way.

[Ornamental]

Decided one last try before walking home, and it actually started up, but runs a bit rougher than before it died. Time to limp home.

[Ornamental]

Any chance of the ballast resistor getting too hot and cracking up when much too hot?

[Chryco Psycho]

Could be a bad ballast or coil

[GranCuda1970]

I was having that problem when the 318 was in and I took it to NAMC they replaced my alternator and the problem went away. I had bought an alternator from Shucks that was no good was putting out insufficient voltage. Would die while driving did not want to start, would start after sitting. was burning up ballast resistors. they put a origional 70 alternator in and showed me the date marking circle on the back side for 1970. But then at the time it still had it's OLD!! origional wiring harnesses.

[Ornamental]

GranCuda1970, you might be on to somethong here. I've replaced the coil too now, still died. Then I replaced the ballast resistor, car fired up right away immediately and ran real nice too.

So  I foolishly allowed myself to cheer, thinking it was solved. Then it died on me again after driving it a few hundred feet. I have a blue control module box for the ignition to replace the gold one. However, the old gold one has five prongs, and the harness has five wires. But the blue box only got four prongs. Is it ok to use?

[Chryco Psycho]

if it is wired for 5 pin 4 pin will work fine

[Ornamental]

Thank you CP!

I replaced the control module, and it started, but ran rough again. It did however run long enough to get it back into my garage, and here it have to stop for today, to avoid bothering my neighbours with V8 rumble at late hours.

Now I'm thinking it might be harness related. It looks like it could very well be the original one. Due to be replaced anyway, just beause of that.

[Ornamental]

Looks like the gremlins lived in the old engine harness.
Replaced the old harness, drove around my neighbourhood for a while, and it behaved like it should.
Only time will show if this was famous last words...

[footin70rt]

Have you checked what the voltage is at the ballast resistor coming in from the ignition switch? Reason I ask is years back I had a alternator short out and burnt up some of the wiring in the car, fixed the wiring but what ended up happening several months later was the engine would start cutting out like a rev limiter was kicking in. What was really happening was supposed to be battery system voltage through the ignition switch to the ballast resistor was dropping down to 8 volts, run that through the resistor and you have 3-4 volts at the coil, not enough to fire the plugs.  I replaced the ignition switch and all is well. I don't know if this will help but just a thought because that one had me stumped for awhile.

[Ornamental]

Have you checked what the voltage is at the ballast resistor coming in from the ignition switch? Reason I ask is years back I had a alternator short out and burnt up some of the wiring in the car, fixed the wiring but what ended up happening several months later was the engine would start cutting out like a rev limiter was kicking in. What was really happening was supposed to be battery system voltage through the ignition switch to the ballast resistor was dropping down to 8 volts, run that through the resistor and you have 3-4 volts at the coil, not enough to fire the plugs.  I replaced the ignition switch and all is well. I don't know if this will help but just a thought because that one had me stumped for awhile.

I got 8.2 volts there, and 8.5 volts at the other side...? 

[footin70rt]

With the key on you should have battery voltage on the wire coming from the ignition switch to the resistor, if it is not battery voltage or very close to it you need to start backtracking and find out where the voltage drop is. In my case it was the ignition switch, but I have also had issues with the bulkhead connector.  Hope this helps.

[Ornamental]

Hope this helps.

It's certainly helpful! 

If you hadn't told me about this, I'd be thinking everything was fine, and then be hit with these problems again.
The dashboard harness is already scheduled to be replaced, and so is the harness/switch assembly for the steering wheel.
I'm going to replace all the old wires, all that brittle insulation is a disaster waiting to happen.
Also a new alternator with a internal voltage regulator is in the near future plans for the Chally.

Btw, I was measuring the voltage with the engine running, would that make a difference?
Right now, the car is in winter storage, and I'm on my way to Angolan waters for five weeks of work at sea.
But I will certainly look into this when I come home, so I can order a new ignition switch if need be.

[GranCuda1970]

Good luck at sea !