Mopar performance elect ignition

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alg

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i have above kit installed in a '71 demon 318. It has historically run fine. It sat for probably 6 months w trickle charger. It now has no spark/ no start. Turns over fast but no go. Battery, coil bench test ok. Any suggestions as to how to troubleshoot and fix?
Thanks guys
 
After sitting always start with making sure of good grounds on the ECU.
Check, clean, tighten the distributor pigtail connector.
Check for power at the coil in the run and start positions both of the key.
There is an ECU test that is easy, by touching the exposed terminal of the distributor connector on the ECU side to ground.
One touch and release of that pin to ground should be one spark from the coil. (with the key on)

That ought to get you started finding the problem.
 
The blue wire should have power in the RUN position. The brown wire should have power in the START position. Start at the base of the steering column and make sure you have power on both sides of the ignition switch connector. If that tests good, move to the bulkhead connector and test on both sides of that. Work your way through the system...checking for power at all the connections. You can disconnect the yellow wire at the starter relay to disable the starter while you test.

I had a problem with a loose ignition switch connector. The car died on me a couple times. When I wiggled that connector the engine hiccupped and died. I had to squeeze the female connectors to get a tighter fit. Also, the orange ignition boxes have a bad reputation for just dying. You'll probably have better luck with a parts store ECU if that ends up being your problem.
 
Also make sure the gap is correct in the distributor. I had the same issue,gapped it and ran fine. I had it in another engine before with no issues.
 
I bet you were worried that the trickle-charger ate it :( Don't be. Follow the above tips and you will get to the bottom of it.
There are just three hard parts to go wrong and a bit of wiring. OK 4 with the ballast. OK 5 with the ignition sw.OK 6 with the ammeter.
And a bunch of connections.
Thankfully there are no glass fuses in this circuit.
But if it cranks, you are way past the ammeter, and halfway past the ballast.At this point( with the coil proven good) it has to be one of the three mentioned,namely;the ECU, the ballast or their connections.
The majority of the time,after sitting, it's connections.

In case you need to know, the reluctor gap is IIRC .008 to .011. But it will run anywhere between zero and about .030.Set it with a brass feeler
good luck
 
Last edited:
TrailBeast said:
After sitting always start with making sure of good grounds on the ECU.
Check, clean, tighten the distributor pigtail connector.
Check for power at the coil in the run and start positions both of the key.
There is an ECU test that is easy, by touching the exposed terminal of the distributor connector on the ECU side to ground.
One touch and release of that pin to ground should be one spark from the coil. (with the key on)

That ought to get you started finding the problem.
Click to expand...

Ok. I've bench tested coil and ballast. Seem fine. I checked all connections in this thread. Will you please explain in a little more detail the test of the ECU? I think you mean to disconnect the wire from the distributor. R u saying that I should get a spark somewhere when I ground that connector?
I never claimed to be very smart.
Thanks
 
alg said:
Ok. I've bench tested coil and ballast. Seem fine. I checked all connections in this thread. Will you please explain in a little more detail the test of the ECU? I think you mean to disconnect the wire from the distributor. R u saying that I should get a spark somewhere when I ground that connector?
I never claimed to be very smart.
Thanks
Click to expand...

If I remember correctly touching the exposed bullet end on the harness side to ground with the key on should produce one spark.
Might check the reluctor gap in the distributor also, just in case (.008 with a non magnetic gauge)
 
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