Engine will not start

[Kevo]

Hey FABO, I'm having trouble with my 1968 dodge dart. Me and my dad bought the car running, but now it wont start. We believe this part might be the problem, the picture is included below. There is a wire that runs off of it that just ends, we cant find it in any wiring diagram, and we cant find what it is suppose to hook up to. Any idea what the part is and what it does?

 

[krazykuda]

First check for gas. Cycle the pedal/linkage and look down the carb and make sure you see it squirt.

Then check for spark: Get a spare spark plug and remove one of the spark plug wires (I recommend a longer one). Put the spare plug in the wire and hold the bottom electrode to a good ground and see if you are getting spark.

 

[Bad Sport]

What does the other end of that blue wire attach to? It looks like all of the wires are on the ECU that are supposed to be there.

What symptoms are you getting, no fire?

What have you done since you got it home, made any changes?

 

[krazykuda]

Here's a link for the electronic ignition wiring diagram:

[ame]http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/elecignconv.pdf[/ame]

 

[BillGrissom]

The electronic ignition module and associated distributor are not original to your 1968 car. They started soon after (1971?). No need to remove it, it is much superior to the original points ignition. However, suspect how the prior owner installed it. Some people hack up the wiring harness and make flaky connections w/ butt crimps. From what your photo shows, it looks fairly competent, however if that loose red wire is not just for testing, it looks flaky.

You need to find where the blue wire goes before we can help you. It has been almost a day and you haven't replied. Next time, don't ask a question until you are ready to follow thru or you will soon lose helpers.

 

[Fabbr]

Also check for a neutral safety wire that runs from the transmission to the starter relay, bypass it to ground to troubleshoot it.

 

[67Dart273]

Back to the basics............

Fuel.............Clean, and fresh. Do you have it? Pump the throttle, should get a "pump shot" down the carb throat. Has the car been parked? Could the fuel be stale? Prime it down the carb throat?

Compression..........What shape is the engine in? You have compression? have you CHECKED?

Spark...........and at the right TIME........Have you checked for spark? Pull the coil wire, "rig" a test gap, even a grounded probe held near the top of the coil, and have a helper crank the engine USING THE KEY. This is important because using the key causes higher battery voltage at the ignition system (the coil bypass circuit)

This should result in a nice fat blue spark at least 3/8" or longer

Is the cap and rotor clean and dry? No carbon tracks? Check the coil wire with an ohmeter? Check the spark plug wires? Check the plugs? Are they oil or fuel fouled?

Ignition system

CHECK and BE SURE that the ignition box is GROUNDED. Don't just look at it, CHECK IT. Remove it, scrape clean, and re--mount using star lock washers

Remove the ignition connectors, at the box, the distributor, the ballast. Inspect visually for corrosion, and work in / out several times to scrub clean and to "feel" for tightness. This is especially important of the dist connector.

Inspect the dist internally. Any rust / corrosion / debri around the pickup / reluctor? Get a brass feeler gauge (O'Reallys) and set the gap at .008", that' inches, not metric

Hook your meter to the dist. connector on low AC volts and crank the engine. The dist should produce about 1Volt AC

With the key "in run" use a jumper wire to ground first one, then the other of the dist wires leading to the ignition (not the dist.) (I forget which one, try 'em both) One or the other should produce one spark from the coil each time you ground / unground the wire

 

[Kevo]

It has been almost a day and you haven't replied. Next time, don't ask a question until you are ready to follow thru or you will soon lose helpers.

Yeah sorry, I'm in the middle of finals week and I'm very busy trying to get good grades. I am going to start following all these tips as soon as I get out. I appreciate the help, but I suggest you calm down. I don't have enough free time to entertain you online, I suggest you find a car club to join. One might entertain you enough from berating a college kid over the internet.

 

[66fs]

I've seen the Orange box be bad. Try a known good box. New boxes use 4 wires while original 72 up boxes used 5 wires. You probably do not need the 5th wire double check the wiring in your car.

 

[67Dart273]

Blue wire...........Is the wiring hooked up to both ends of the voltage regulator? In your photo, this is the small box between the master cylinder and the fender.

Here is the basic circuit for the ignition:

The wire labeled "existing wire" at top right goes off to switched "ignition run" coming from the key. This should be "hot" in other words with the key in the "run" position.

NOTICE here that you are "looking down" at the rear of the ECU connector just as you are "looking down" at your ECU in the photo. So if you remove the plug from the ECU (remove the screw) turn it upside down, you should be able to take your meter and with the key in "run" determine if the box is getting power from the key

 

[67Dart273]

I suggest you calm down. I don't have enough free time to entertain you online, I suggest you find a car club to join. One might entertain you enough from berating a college kid over the internet.

You might want to can the attitude

 

[Kevo]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. My father suspected the neutral safety switch might be causing a problem, I will follow your advice Fabbr and report back as soon as I can.
67Dart273, we haven't had the ignition switch installed, the car was hotwired when I bought it and we just replaced the old switch it had. I got a working ignition switch and the keys to match, I will install it and follow through on your advice.

We haven't made any changed to the engine, the previous owner had a shop install a 318, and so far all I have done to the car was fix the rusted out pans and put in a new rear end. We got the engine to almost start last night, but I am thinking its a fuel delivery issue now. I am going to follow all of your replies to make sure everything is in shape and I will post back as soon as I can.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[68gtxman]

The first thing I do when a known running car won't start is to jiggle the trans shifter while turning the key to start.

 

[crackedback]

Screw your finals, you have a car to get running... LOL

If that blue wire goes to the neg side of the battery, it's likely a ground wire for the orange box. If it is from the neg side, hook it to the mounting screw holding the box on your inner fender.

If the car cranks, it's not the neutral safety switch.