electrical problem i think?

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Slantsix64

Slantsix64

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i have electronic ignition i have the two prong resistor i have the four pin module sometimes my car will die in drive or reverse with the lights on or sometimes when there off i have replaced the alt regulator module ballast the car drive perfect but then sometimes it will get a little shakey i was thinking it was my ballast resistor cause it would get hot is it suppose to? now thinking about it is next to the intake manifold let me know what you guys think!!!
 
Make sure your module and engine have a good solid ground to the chassis. Start the engine, look at all your ignition wiring for arcing (sparks), listen for popping sounds (arcing). now wiggle the wires going to the ballast resistor, ignition module, distributor, and coil.
You might have a vacuum leak, while your listening for popping sounds, also listen for hissing sounds. Get a spray bottle with water in it, squirt some around the base of the carb,(NOT into it) all the vacuum lines, and where the intake manifold bolts to the head. during this entire process (wires and vacuum) , listen for any changes in the engine
Good luck
 
Yes your ballast will get hot.Slants are noted for intake/exhaust gaskets that actually wear out thru thermal expansion over the years.The manifolds move on the head every heat cycle.
 
Sounds like a weak electrical system to me. Electronic ignition needs the full 12 volts to function properly. The later model charging system with isolated field alternator does hold the idle voltage higher than the earlier charging system did.
 
What is the idle RPM's on your car normally?
I have to think on first impression that you have a tuning or vac leak problem causing the problem, and a low idle would make it worse if the idle is pretty low to start with.

(it could kill the engine from the extra load on the alternator from turning on the lights if it idles low in the first place and has an intake leak or is out of tune somewhere)
 
Has your ballast resistor been replaced? If so, do you know the PN? There are a lot of them out there and very few are right for the Mopar ignition system.

Are you saying the ballast is near the intake manifold? That sounds like an abnormal position for it. For the /6 it is often on the firewall over on the passenger side. Ballasts being warm/hot is normal but too hot is not.

As said, there are a lot of causes for this. Any more info on exactly how it acts up and behaves may be helpful to narrow this down.

Do you have a voltmeter? If so, that would be quite useful in determining if the ignition system is at fault or not.
 
i dont think it has to do with a vaccum leak when i put my hand over the carb i feel good pull and it dies out instantly i have had a vaccum leak and from start to shut off i can hear the problem this one only occurs sometimes my alternator will be charging but suddenly it will wiggle back and forth i can feel and hear a rpm change when it does this man this is a pain in the *** oh and for some reason when the lights are on in neutral it stabilizes then alternator if that makes any sense
 
If the alternator wiggles around, odds are the belt is slipping some. I never cared for the bracketing they used on those. Shortest belt possible may eliminate some of the movement.
 
he doesn't mean the alternator is loose itself he is talking about the amp gauge inside the car the needles wiggles.... i believe is what he is talking about.. that would be the voltage reg on that one or the alt is getting ready to go out.. if it was me i would replace both at the same time..
 
Problem solved i had a 2 ohm ballast resistor switched it to the 1 ohm solved the problem thanks for the help!!!!!!
 
Yup, that is a big secret about Mopar stock ignition systems. I have to wonder how many systems were taken out when the real problem was putting in the wrong ballast.

If the ballast you had was 2 ohms, realize that is the cold measurement. When warm (which takes only 2-3 minutes of idling), that particular part has a resistance of up around 7 ohms. That level of resistance simply starves to coil of adequate current, and the spark gets very weak.

The original ballast for your car, PN 2095501, has a cold resistance of 0.5-0.6 ohms and a hot resistance of up around 2 ohms. The closest readily available at the box parts stores is the BWD RU19, which has a cold resistance of 0.6-0.8 ohms and around 3.5 ohms hot.
 
The true metric is what is the average voltage at coil+ when running. I don't recall a spec in the book. I think it should be ~8 V if the ballast is correct and the wiring is pristine. If 12 V (i.e. ballast bypassed), the coil will get too hot and the engine will start missing at higher rpm.
 
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