how do i install a chrome box

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moparraceman

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have a 1963 dart had slant 6 engine stock wiring put a 340 engine in with electronic distributor and install new chrome box using 4 prongs out of box not using green wire 2 wires i used to plug into distributor plug were do the other 2 wires go ? has stock resistor also do i need something that comes from ignition key ? do i need to replace stock resister ? thanks
 
I run the blue wire to the input side of the ballast resistor... To find that one, disconnect both connectors from the ballast resistor and put the key in the run/on position, connect the clamp for the test light to the negative side of the battery and probe each ballast resistor wire... The one that lights up is the input....

The black wire goes to the coil negative (-)....

You will need to get a two prong electronic ignition ballast resistor to replace the old points ballast resistor...
 
Mopar instructions

http://wawii.com/m37/manuals/MoPar Electronic Ignition - elecignconv.pdf




Single resistor and 4 wire setup
upload_2018-12-9_19-35-57.png


dual resistor and 5 wire setup
upload_2018-12-9_19-38-34.png
 
Make sure the case on the chrome box (or any Mopar ignition box) is chassis grounded.
 
ok thanks to you guys the car runs for a little bit, but seems like when i let go of the key it stops, give it a little gas starts right back up but quites any comments ?
 
I don't think any boxes you'll find for sale are 5 wire, therefore 3 wire ballast should work. If it starts and dies, you may have disturbed the "run" circuit. The "run" circuit goes dead during cranking and the bypass (usually brown, to the coil side of the ballast) causes the engine to fire.

Turn the key to "run" Go out with meter and or test lamp and see if you have power at coil +. Should have somewhere between 6 and 10V. Measure coil NEG. Should be low, perhaps 2V or less. That shows the box is grounded and drawing current through the coil, which you want

The ballast wiring IS NOT CHANGED when converting. In fact if the box goes bad, you could unplug it, replace distro with points, hook up the coil primary wire, and run it.

The power lead from the ECU hooks to the "high" side of the ballast resistor, that is the "key" side.
 
this one is a 5 wire i didnt use the green one so iam using 4 wires 2 of the wires go to the dist to plug in ,1 wire to ballast on input side ,and 1 wire to coil i didnt change any of the old wiring i still have them pluged in one on each end of the oringal ballast resister just added the black wire to resister should i use a dual resister ?
 
moparraceman said:
which is the high side of the resister the one that light up with the key on ?
Click to expand...

Yes, if all the other wires are off the ballast when testing.

The problem you have is that you have power running to your coil when starting, but not when you let the key back to the run position.
They are two different connections inside the ignition switch (Ign1 and Ign2)
One gives power to the coil ONLY when cranking, and the other one give power to the coil ONLY when running.

Just a note.
I have had these cars not start until I let go of the key from cranking, and this is the exact opposite problem. (the cranking circuit was dead) but the run position of the ignition switch fed coil power.
 
moparraceman said:
this one is a 5 wire i didnt use the green one so iam using 4 wires 2 of the wires go to the dist to plug in ,1 wire to ballast on input side ,and 1 wire to coil i didnt change any of the old wiring i still have them pluged in one on each end of the oringal ballast resister just added the black wire to resister should i use a dual resister ?
Click to expand...


I can't read all that but having 5 pins does not make it a "5 pin" box. One of them is likely dead. The only boxes that are 5 wire are older OEM. If you buy a new box, it won't be
 
Most of the time, when you get power to coil in start but not in run the ballast resistor is the problem. Sometimes its a bad ignition switch. A member recently found the blue run wire degraded to 1 or 2 unbroken strands at the bulkhead connector. Those kind of faults can show "all good" with a simple test lamp yet there isn't enough current to run things. If you can hot wire it and make it run you'll know the fault is in the cars wiring and not the ignition wiring.
 
moparraceman said:
should i use a dual resister ? has the stock one now how do you hot wire it ? sorry not good with electrical
Click to expand...
I have to agree with others who say the modern ECU doesn't use the 5th wire so a dual resistor isn't required. I too am running a chrome box with single resistor in my 67. That resistor has to be good though. You can check it with a Ohm meter, bypass it temporarily, or just replace it.
To bypass it... Since its harness connectors are female spade terminals, pull them and join them together with a small strip of metal. If it continues to run in run the ballast resistor is bad.
 
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