Need a little help here please.

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rick_rawker

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Where does the thick wire coming out of this alternator SUPPOSED to go to in our 1964 273 ?
We are replacing the point style with electronic ignition package.
I could swear I took the other end off of the positive side coil,
All the wiring diagrams show it to go to the voltage regulator by way of the ampmeter.
I have hooked the leads up from the new magic box per instructions,
We are not getting fire on this daily driver,
20180218_183228.jpg
20180218_183228.jpg
 
That green field wire goes to the voltage regulator. The OEM regulator had a wire in the top ( Blue? ) and the green out the bottom. I don't know how the lack of this would prevent spark. The blue is the hot in run wire. It goes to the regulator and should go to electronic ignition module also. Magic box? I don't know those.
 
Where does the thick wire coming out of this alternator SUPPOSED to go to in our 1964 273 ?

It's supposed to go to one of the bulkhead terminals and from there to a splice before the ammeter. The splice goes to the ignition switch, headlight switch and part of the fuse box. It's the same way on the 65, except instead of using terminals, the 65 uses solid buss bars to conduct the electricity from the battery, through the ammeter and out to the alternator (your black wire).
 
That green field wire goes to the voltage regulator. The OEM regulator had a wire in the top ( Blue? ) and the green out the bottom. I don't know how the lack of this would prevent spark. The blue is the hot in run wire. It goes to the regulator and should go to electronic ignition module also. Magic box? I don't know those.
Well the 'magic box ' is the ignition module
1519005025619854584897.jpg
 
The
It's supposed to go to one of the bulkhead terminals and from there to a splice before the ammeter. The splice goes to the ignition switch, headlight switch and part of the fuse box. It's the same way on the 65, except instead of using terminals, the 65 uses solid buss bars to conduct the electricity from the battery, through the ammeter and out to the alternator (your black wire).
The weird thing is it had an eyelet on it that I believe ran to the positive side coil maybe it is shared by those connections ?
 
what thick wire are you taking about?

Green only goes one place.......from alternator field (push on flag connector) to the VR. If you have a factory VR the other wire (blue) is switched 12V from the key and is a branch of the same supply going to the ballast resistor. In other words this is "ignition run" voltage coming from the ignition switch, through the bulkhead, and branches off, feeding the ballast and the VR

NOTE!!! THIS VOLTAGE IS NOT PRESENT during "cranking" using the key. There is/ was a second wire (look at your diagram) brown, IGN2, which comes off a separate contact on the ignition switch. THAT powers the coil+ during cranking and bypasses the coil resistor
 
The ballast / coil wiring for the electronic ignition DOES NOT CHANGE going to electronic ignition, by this I mean electrically, functionally. Below is a simplified diagram of the system. IT DOES NOT SHOW the brown IGN2 coming from the ign switch, which attaches to the coil+ side of the ballast

The wire at far top right labled "existing wire" is the blue "ignition run" (IGN1) coming from the ignition switch

Ignition_System_4pin.jpg


IN FACT if the ECU should quit, in an emergency, you could unplug the ECU, drop a points distributor back in, and hook up the distributor wire to coil NEG. It will run just fine
 
what thick wire are you taking about?

Green only goes one place.......from alternator field (push on flag connector) to the VR. If you have a factory VR the other wire (blue) is switched 12V from the key and is a branch of the same supply going to the ballast resistor. In other words this is "ignition run" voltage coming from the ignition switch, through the bulkhead, and branches off, feeding the ballast and the VR

NOTE!!! THIS VOLTAGE IS NOT PRESENT during "cranking" using the key. There is/ was a second wire (look at your diagram) brown, IGN2, which comes off a separate contact on the ignition switch. THAT powers the coil+ during cranking and bypasses the coil resistor
Thanks, this helps a lot , I have it wired right because the blue from the box wants key on and the big wire from the alternator share the same side ballast resistor no matter where the splice or connection is.
Right ?
 
That green field wire goes to the voltage regulator. The OEM regulator had a wire in the top ( Blue? ) and the green out the bottom. I don't know how the lack of this would prevent spark. The blue is the hot in run wire. It goes to the regulator and should go to electronic ignition module also. Magic box? I don't know those.
I agree, thank you , must have an issue inside the new distributor then,,,
 
I agree, thank you , must have an issue inside the new distributor then,,,

Not necessarily. Re-read what I posted about IGN1/ IGN2. In other words clip your meter onto the splice where you pulled power to the ECU. See if you get power there when cranking with the key. Should be "hot" with key in run AND with key in "start." If not, in start, you did not hook the brown in with it. Brown must go to coil + side of ballast "just as it was."
 
A test you can make which might give some idea of the distributor (actually 2 tests)

1...Put your meter on low AC (that's right AC) volts and connect the meter to the two distributor pickup wires. Crank the engine or spin the dist. and it should generate about 1v AC

2...Unhook the dist. connector and turn the key to "run." Take up the ECU end of the dist. connector and tap the bare terminal to ground. Each time you do that should make 1 "snap" hot spark
 
Not necessarily. Re-read what I posted about IGN1/ IGN2. In other words clip your meter onto the splice where you pulled power to the ECU. See if you get power there when cranking with the key. Should be "hot" with key in run AND with key in "start." If not, in start, you did not hook the brown in with it. Brown must go to coil + side of ballast "just as it was."
Will try again. I know I have power to it with key on, have not checked while cranking.
 
what thick wire are you taking about?

Green only goes one place.......from alternator field (push on flag connector) to the VR. If you have a factory VR the other wire (blue) is switched 12V from the key and is a branch of the same supply going to the ballast resistor. In other words this is "ignition run" voltage coming from the ignition switch, through the bulkhead, and branches off, feeding the ballast and the VR

NOTE!!! THIS VOLTAGE IS NOT PRESENT during "cranking" using the key. There is/ was a second wire (look at your diagram) brown, IGN2, which comes off a separate contact on the ignition switch. THAT powers the coil+ during cranking and bypasses the coil resistor
The black one on bottom, my green seems to be going where it needs to.
Will try what you said later today.
Thanks !
 
The larger gauge black wire does go to the firewall bulkhead connections but I cant say exactly which/where on your year model.
 
If the alternator thick black wire is shared by the the other side of the ballast resistor, maybe the eyelet went to the negative side of the coil ?
 
Thanks, will try when the rain stops hers in Texas.
Can the distributor pickup be checked by a ohms test ?

Not really. Here are some checks you can make

1...Check resistance of the pickup. I've forgotten, I usually compare to a spare to remind me

2....Check for continuity from the pickup wires to ground.........should be open

3....Crank the engine or spin the dist with your meter hooked to the pickup on low AC volts. Should generate about 1V AC

4....Unhook the dist. and take hold of the engine bay side of the connector. With key in "run" tap the exposed terminal of the connector to ground. Should make a hot "snap" spark each time.
 
My problem was the new distributor bought from eBay.
The reluctor and pick up could not be set.
Too much slop
I appreciate you guys
Keep er safe
 
The thick black wire better not go to the coil plus! That would make it impossible to shut off the car!And the entire run circuit would be live at all times.
The black wire from my alternator came off the + side coil when I looked at my saved pics before replacing .
I added a key on wire to the + side for the ecu only . Fires fine now
When running, and I turn the key off, it does stop running .
You made perfect sense in your helpful statement, but, it stops running when I turn the key off.
Thank you for your time and help,
KEEP 'ER SAFE !
 
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