Electronic ignition problem on new install

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gg73

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Hi guys, I know this topic has been covered a lot but I have spent two weeks looking for an answer and I can’t find it. I installed a ProForm electronic ignition kit two weeks ago. New distributer, ecu, harness and coil. The car will start then immediately shut down as soon as I release the key from start position. I have narrows it down to my ballast resistor because I have 12 volts going in, but only 1.5 coming out. If I use a jumper wire and put 12 volts directly to the coil the car starts and runs. I contacted Proform ( who are very difficult to reach ) and they agreed with me and sent me another ballast resistor. I installed the new one and still have the same problem. I have two questions: Do they make different ballast resistors with less resistance? 2nd question is do I even need a ballast resistor? I installed a new MSD Blaster 2 coil if that matters. Any help would greatly appreciated.
 
The first thing you should is read the instructions for the Blaster 2 coil. It will tell you [a] whether a bal res is needed & what it's value should be. Might be different to Chrys bal res.
The factory bal res that connects to the coil is 0.5 ohm; if the ECU uses a dual bal res, the other bal res is 5 ohm. Did you mix them up?
 
I have heard from an engine builder that Proform doesn't have the greatest track record. Hope that it's just the ballast.
 
CRUZE 418 said:
I have heard from an engine builder that Proform doesn't have the greatest track record. Hope that it's just the ballast.
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I have heard that as well and thought the same thing. But I figured I wasn’t trying to build a hot rod, just a nice dependable cruiser. But I might have made a mistake buying it. I did swap the ECU with a know good used one that I borrowed from a friend and it didn’t change anything. Thanks for the tip though
 
Sounds like you don’t have the “run” ignition wire hooked up. There are two ignition feeds, “run” and “start”, called Ignition 1 and Ignition 2. Blue and brown wires I think.
 
Can you maybe tell us WHICH ProForm ignition you have? Although I have a new crystal ball, it's not a miracle worker.
 
gg73 said:
I have narrows it down to my ballast resistor because I have 12 volts going in, but only 1.5 coming out. If I use a jumper wire and put 12 volts directly to the coil the car starts and runs.
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With the key in run, did you check and get the 1.5 volts directly at the ballast resistor or from the power wire at the coil?

The voltage going to the coil should be in the ballpark of 6-7 or so volts. If not enough voltage is coming out of the resistor, but good on the other side, then the resistor is NFG. If good enough voltage is coming out of the resistor, but not the power wire at the coil, you have problem with that circuit somewhere.
If you just jump the two correct connections at the suspect ballast resistor with a jumper wire and the car runs, you have a bad ballast resistor.

No special Mopar knowledge is needed to figure that out. Just a basic understanding of electrical systems and reading diagrams.
 
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Make sure you need a ballast resister, then look into the mention of Ign 1 and Ign 2.

When I was building HEI kits we didn’t use a ballast and Ign1 and Ign 2 needed to be tied together so it had power at the coil in both start and run positions of the key.
 
I will add that if a company has a shitty reputation and it's based on facts. That shitty reputation doesn't only apply to speed parts, that applies to daily driver crap too. Something as important as an ignition system?? And you thought the bad rep only applied to Proform speed parts?? I think u know the answer.
Not trying to come off as a d*ck, but your methodology needs tweaking.
Ship the junk back for refund.
 
gg73 said:
just a nice dependable cruiser.
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What was wrong with the old ignition system?

If you want dependable, stick with what already works and is known to work just fine. Of course that's assuming the old system was there and working, so I really don't know.
 
4spdragtop said:
I will add that if a company has a shitty reputation and it's based on facts. That shitty reputation doesn't only apply to speed parts, that applies to daily driver crap too. Something as important as an ignition system?? And you thought the bad rep only applied to Proform speed parts?? I think u know the answer.
Not trying to come off as a d*ck, but your methodology needs tweaking.
Ship the junk back for refund.
Click to expand...
 
There are different ohm coils, my FBO module bypasses the ballast, but requires a specific coil. Having said that, my Mopar orginal electronic dist had an MSD blaster coil and regular ballast when I bought it. BUT, you said that your engine ran when bypassing the ballast.
Something simple, causing a complicated problem.
 
The limitation on primary coil current in an inductive ign system [ points, Chrys ECU, HEI module ] is how much current these devices can safely switch. That is the purpose of the bal res on those systems that are externally current limited [ HEI is internally current limited ] points, & Chrys ECU. Once the current is regulated, a coil has to be used that provides enough spark energy with the reduced supply voltage [ reduced by the bal res ].
A canister coil like the Blaster coil is just as inefficient as the stock coil & wil
 
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