Constant spark from ignition coil with key on

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DentalDart

DentalDart

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Video attached.

When i turn the key to the on position I'm getting a constant spark from the ignition coil. Car wasnt turning over. Any advice on the problem?

Heres a picture of how its wired and was wired when I first took it apart.



20200504_143029.jpg
 
You are a braver man than I, holding that coil wire like that.
Check for ground strap between engine and body, should be one.
You get a replacement starter?
Disconnect starter wires and check again. Also make sure you didnt pinch any wires between block and trans when you bolted it back up.
 
There was a run of bad Orange Boxes in the late 90's, maybe early 2000's sometime. I had one do that. Swapped over to a std box, as this was on a 71 Fury Custom Suburban 383. Is that an Orange Box? Axe it.
 
Weird. You have a msd or a replacement orange box by chance? Also whats that yellow wire on the negative terminal?
 
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Nicola Tesla would be so proud!

Did it ever work correctly?
What have you done to it lately?

I agree we all need more info. My first thought was MSD as well.

get a wiring diagram and start tracing
 
It's an old Orange Box.

It only does it when you first turn the key to the on position. While cranking we get a pulsing spark and it stops sending spark when I stop cranking it.

Car started up.
 
Dana67Dart said:
Nicola Tesla would be so proud!

Did it ever work correctly?
What have you done to it lately?

I agree we all need more info. My first thought was MSD as well.

get a wiring diagram and start tracing
Click to expand...

It's always worked. It worked today. Car got primed and fired right up.

Everyone can go to my new transmission thread now :rofl:
 
Tooljunkie said:
You are a braver man than I, holding that coil wire like that.
Check for ground strap between engine and body, should be one.
You get a replacement starter?
Disconnect starter wires and check again. Also make sure you didnt pinch any wires between block and trans when you bolted it back up.
Click to expand...

Yeah a brand new free starter. :thumbsup:

Edit- Also it's not me holding that wire, I would have gladly been the one to hold it instead though that way my friend didnt get shocked.
 
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Do you have a tach hooked up?
Try disconnecting that report what it does when disconnected
 
DentalDart said:
Video attached.

When i turn the key to the on position I'm getting a constant spark from the ignition coil. Car wasnt turning over. Any advice on the problem?

Heres a picture of how its wired and was wired when I first took it apart.



View attachment 1715522009
Click to expand...

What kind of electronic ignition are you running?
 
Call Steve-O from jackass and see if he will stick his tongue on that for $5.
I would say thats a bad ignition box if I had to guess.
Not all orange boxes were junk, it was just a short period where they seemed to have a high failure rate. I still have one that I bought in 1991 and its still working great. Its been on a half dozen cars in its life.
 
MoparMike1974 said:
Call Steve-O from jackass and see if he will stick his tongue on that for $5.
I would say thats a bad ignition box if I had to guess.
Not all orange boxes were junk, it was just a short period where they seemed to have a high failure rate. I still have one that I bought in 1991 and its still working great. Its been on a half dozen cars in its life.
Click to expand...

I havent had any problems with my ignition system yet (knock on wood), just was said to me "I have never seen this before." Figured I'd ask other gurus if maybe they have seen this before. The car started up and continues to start up currently and sounds great...
 
Ign 1 hot in run (should be a blue wire). Ign 2 hot in start (should be a brown wire). So with the key in run you should get power to the ballast and ecu. But don't understand the constant spark. Have you downloaded the FSM?
 
DentalDart said:
I havent had any problems with my ignition system yet (knock on wood), just was said to me "I have never seen this before." Figured I'd ask other gurus if maybe they have seen this before. The car started up and continues to start up currently and sounds great...
Click to expand...
I don't think anyone has seen this before. It would be interesting to replace the control box to see if it goes away. That has got to be hard on the coil. It's sparking like the engine is running 10,000 r's.
 
toolmanmike said:
I don't think anyone has seen this before. It would be interesting to replace the control box to see if it goes away. That has got to be hard on the coil. It's sparking like the engine is running 10,000 r's.
Click to expand...
Wait til Del checks in. That dude has seen it all.
 
moparmandan said:
Ign 1 hot in run (should be a blue wire). Ign 2 hot in start (should be a brown wire). So with the key in run you should get power to the ballast and ecu. But don't understand the constant spark. Have you downloaded the FSM?
Click to expand...

Yes I downloaded the FSM... read it all no and I tend to stay away from everything electrical as it intimidates me.
 
DentalDart said:
Yes I downloaded the FSM... read it all no and I tend to stay away from everything electrical as it intimidates me.
Click to expand...
Really? Thats not you holding the coil wire then? lol
Ok then throw a different ecu at it and see if it stops. You should have a spare anyway.
 
Tooljunkie said:
You are a braver man than I, holding that coil wire like that.
Check for ground strap between engine and body, should be one.
You get a replacement starter?
Disconnect starter wires and check again. Also make sure you didnt pinch any wires between block and trans when you bolted it back up.
Click to expand...

my other hand had his gonads.....lol
 
moparmandan said:
Wait til Del checks in. That dude has seen it all.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but no LOL. I have seen systems that make weird noises when they should not. I'm with "the others" My best guess is the box. But before you replace it you might try jumpering power direct to the coil with the key on. "It might be" some weird bad connection is causing the thing to go into an oscillation loop here is how that might be, and I say, "might."

"Let's say" there is a bad connection or component in the power feed. Maybe the igntion switch is OK, maybe the bulkhead connector is OK. Maybe there is a bad connection at the ballast, or it's actually broke and sort of just "touching" internally

You turn on the key.........The system surges on and draws some current.......this starting surge of current produces one spark.

The bad connection breaks or becomes "poorer" due to the inrush current. The bad connection /component drops power down to either nothing, or so low the box can't do anything. Current drops out and stops. The bad connection remakes, the box draws current, another inrush of current, another spark, and the thing does this all over again.

It's called an oscillation.
 
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