Cant get this to run, need help

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Instead of endlessly cranking the engine over to check for spark, pull the distributor out and spin it by hand. For older points distributors, you need to ground the case, but not for the e-pickup type he has w/ 2-wires. Rig a spark wire straight from the coil post first, instead of routing thru the distributor. Use a spark tester or carefully rig a 1/2" gap to metal on the intake. Don't ask wifey to hold the HV cable next to the engine unless angling for a divorce.

By 1976, there was much emissions add-ons, but mostly in the vacuum advance for the distributor and choke controls. But, they could have buggered with the ignition circuits too. I wouldn't spend days fussing with the old Mopar ECU and ballasts, especially if the wiring is brittle. Easier to just switch to the 8-pin GM HEI and coil for simpler wiring and a stronger spark. Many posts on that here.
 
8 pin? Why that one? I'd go with the plain old 4 pin hei. What's better about the 8 pin version? From what I remember there will be 4 unused pins, will it even work that way?
 
volaredon said:
8 pin? Why that one? I'd go with the plain old 4 pin hei. What's better about the 8 pin version? From what I remember there will be 4 unused pins, will it even work that way?
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I don't know "them all" one of the guys on here used to put together connector kits for 6 or 8 pin so yeh, they can be made to work. One advantage of the "more than 4" is they use weatherproof connectors.
 
67Dart273 said:
Confused what is the question?
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Well finally I got this engine running. But first I have to say that I told a lie.When you get my age (66) sometimes things run together. I mentioned that I did not mess with the dist. That is not correct. When I pulled the engine out of this 76, I sat it down on a pallet. The engine that I freshened up, rod and main bearings and rings was out of a 74. The guy I bought it from had it laying in the garage and had put a 360 in his Duster. He told me that it ran fine before he pulled it.He wouldnt lie would he so I figured the dist. was a good one. I didnt pull the dist. I didnt lie about that but after I got to thinking about it I thought the problem could be in the dist. So, I put the old dist. that I had on the bench which just happened to be out of the 76 engine I pulled and stuck it in there and after a couple of adjustments, the engine fired up.It didnt look too great inside of the dist. but I thought what do I have to lose. It runs and idles but it is still not running as good as I like so I am going to replace all the vacuum lines and I am going to order a new factory dist. and stick down in it. It is lacking a little on the excelleration. But I want to thank every one of you guys who chimed in on this and I checked everything you all mentioned but I just didnt have spark. I guess that dist. was bad and that guy told me a lie because that engine did not run before he pulled it. That is probably why he pulled it.
 
Id have just replaced the distributor pickup inside the 1st distributor you had in that engine. that's probably where the issue really was.
That and make sure the vac advance can was good (though that piece wont keep an engine from running, just running RIGHT)
 
Charrlie_S said:
Stupid question. Is the two wire plug from the distributer connected to the harness? If yes, make sure the battery is charged up, recheck the voltage at the coil + (it should be more then 5 volts with ign sw on, but not cranking). If voltage is around 8 volts (or higher), connect test light to coil (-), and crank engine. Test light should "blink" on and off. That will tell you if the dist is sending a signal to the module and the module to the coil. If the test light does not blink, it could be a bad module, or bad pickup in the dist.
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I've left that thing off before....
 
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