Ignition nightmares

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I get NORS in on occasion and have a tester for them. The older ones are defiantly way better than the newer ECU's.
 
Johnny Dart said:
To the original poster:
Obviously something is amiss in your electrical system, to be burning through ballast's. I would go through the ignition system components, and see if I could figure out the problem. It could easily be a wiring problem as well. Have a new ecu, coil, ballast on hand. I also wouldn't fall for the gm end all be all bs. No cheby parts will ever touch my Mopars, period. Chrysler designed one of the finest ignition systems, with millions upon millions of proven miles.
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And I'd use a Suzuki motorcycle ignition if it does the job reliably.
Don't care what the brand the spark is, as long as it's always there when I need it.
 
Christopher Lounsbery said:
4 pin ballast and an ohm meter
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OK. Look at the number of pins in the connector on the ECU; if it is 5 pins you MAY need the 4 pin ballast (dual ballast). If there are 4 pins in the ECU connector, then you don't need the 4 pin ballast anymore. What is the part number and source of the new ECU? Look to see if it listed for many years; if so, it has to be able to run in a 4 pin configuration (single ballast).

Everyone please check me, but my understanding is that no one is actually making a true 5 pin, 1973 ECU, anymore. They are all really the 4 pin ECU that does not need the 2 part ballast resistor. You could use a 0.8 ohm MSD ballast for the coil circuit.

Now the next question is if the 4 pin ballast is installed backwards. This will put the high resistance half in the coil circuit where the low resistance half should be, and vice versa. This would effectively starve the coil of current (and may be what is burning out the ballasts). One half of this 2 part ballast is around 5 ohms and the other is < 1 ohm (cold). The low resistance half should be in the circuit going to the + terminal on the coil. (And BTW, during cranking, the ballast is bypassed.)

There is some useful info for you in this thread for another '73 system on the connections and ballast resistances:
Fluctuating neg. to ground on ignition coil

And I'd like to ask again what is the part number (PN) of the ballast you have now. Just for the record....
 
Its out there.
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A few weeks ago I hade a bunch of them. I get them usually from parts stores that closed, and old gas stations that closed also when looking for points and condensers for rebuilds. I am partial to the petronix uniots but the bm have advantages also on the side of the road if they crap out most parts stores have them.
 
TrailBeast said:
Some will poo poo the statement I'm about to make but so what.:D

If you plan on keeping the car all stock then you might have to deal with what you get, but if you plan on driving that car on a regular basis dump that 50 year old ignition tech and get something you can rely on.
Things can only get worse with the quality of aftermarket parts going the way it is.
I swapped to GM HEI over 6 years ago and not had a single ignition issue since.
Or you could even go the OEM module case with the HEI built into it route.

I personally prefer the 8 pin module with weatherpak connectors.

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That is an option , , nothing wrong with the factory ignition , i've run mine for 12 years and in that time I've had a ballast resistor crap out twice ,but always had a spare in the glove box , easy fix . I now run an FBO ECU , gets rid of the ballast resistor . First thing to do for op is find out why he is having the problem . Make sure all the 50 year old wireing is in good condition . Another thing is many "new"distributors are just plain crap had 3 go bad on me last 2 years replaced it with a firecore it's working so far but not sure it is much better
 
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I have a 79 Volare with 94000 mi. Runs perfect. It had the original ECU box, I pulled it and all the black insulation had long ago melted off. Still worked perfect but installed a new one and kept it for a SPARE!! LOL OK so someone will tell me in a month the new one will crap out!!! Maybe!!!!!!
 
barbee6043 said:
I have a 79 Volare with 94000 mi. Runs perfect. It had the original ECU box, I pulled it and all the black insulation had long ago melted off. Still worked perfect but installed a new one and kept it for a SPARE!! LOL OK so someone will tell me in a month the new one will crap out!!! Maybe!!!!!!
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I repotted one using 30 minute epoxy. As far as I know it is still working.
 
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My distributor is circa 1973. It might have close to 300,000 miles on it. In 2004 the car it's in went 93 in the Eighth, the tach on 7000 all the way, and idles at 550 rpm when I need it to. I have absolutely no idea what a bad electronic distributor might look like. The pick-ups are another story, but mine is ancient as well.
If you want a trouble free lifetime coil, I can heartily recommend the big yellow Accell square top with matching ballast; I bought it from the Mopar catalog. Mine has over 125,000 miles on her.I mounted it on the apron with a 3ft coil wire, part of my anti-theft program.
 
Christopher Lounsbery said:
Any suggestions on where to look?
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I just took a look at Summit. Standard Blue Streak makes some decent parts. Coil, distributor cap, rotor, ecu, voltage regulator. Make sure it is their Blue Streak line. That is there top of the line parts. For example: Make sure you get their blue distributor cap with brass terminals. I have had a black cap with alum terminals sent out, sent it right back.

Look on EBay. Look for early nos, nors, parts.
Swap meets. Even junk yards.
Napa Auto and the big box stores, as long as you know what is good.
Best of all Google !!!
Read Read Read, on who makes quality parts, and go get them.
 
AJ/FormS said:
My distributor is circa 1973. It might have close to 300,000 miles on it. In 2004 the car it's in went 93 in the Eighth, the tach on 7000 all the way, and idles at 550 rpm when I need it to. I have absolutely no idea what a bad electronic distributor might look like. The pick-ups are another story, but mine is ancient as well.
If you want a trouble free lifetime coil, I can heartily recommend the big yellow Accell square top with matching ballast; I bought it from the Mopar catalog. Mine has over 125,000 miles on her.I mounted it on the apron with a 3ft coil wire, part of my anti-theft program.
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I had one of those overheat. Smelled the oil. Didn't take long to figure out. You never know.
 
And now, another annoying story "from the old days." Remember the big 'ol rectangular Mallory coils? BEFORE Accel was "a thing" even. Now I "kinda knew" about them. When you installed them, you ADDED an included Mallory coil resistor IN SERIES with the factory resistor.

In my days working part time at the NAS Miramar auto shop, here comes a couple of guys "it won't start can you help us."

"What did you / are you doing?"

"We are installing a new Mallory coil"

The were out by the entrance gate, several hundred feet away. Walked out there and here is oil and pieces of the brand new Mallory all over the engine bay of the 55 Chev. They had not installed the additional resistor, and HAD LEFT THE KEY ON and walked on into the shop area when they couldn't get it to fire

On a side note, I see on updated overhead views of Bing Maps that the Marines finally tore down the old wood buildings where the shops were They have a much fancier one now----that costs the users a lot more money
 
Mattax said:
I had one of those overheat. Smelled the oil. Didn't take long to figure out. You never know.
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One of those what? lol. Accell coils? That's why mine is out front on the apron in the cooler air, and not bolted to the engine, which I run at a minimum of 205*F. But as you know, with uncoated headers, the underhood gets to be really really hot.

mine is horizontal with the studs down
 
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Yes. Bolted to the firewall. No headers then. It was the one of the coils listed as match with the chrome box I started with. It lasted a while - and when it did seep oil, it didn't leave me stranded on the side of the road.
 
Johnny Dart said:
I just took a look at Summit. Standard Blue Streak makes some decent parts. Coil, distributor cap, rotor, ecu, voltage regulator. Make sure it is their Blue Streak line. That is there top of the line parts. For example: Make sure you get their blue distributor cap with brass terminals. I have had a black cap with alum terminals sent out, sent it right back.

Look on EBay. Look for early nos, nors, parts.
Swap meets. Even junk yards.
Napa Auto and the big box stores, as long as you know what is good.
Best of all Google !!!
Read Read Read, on who makes quality parts, and go get them.
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Somehow I ended up with one of the cheap *** caps, so I drilled a big hole in it for rotor phasing testing. :D
It was either that or it was going in the trash.
 
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