Newbie (273 with no fire)

[imager]

I just picked up a 1966 Barracuda that has the 273 with edelbrock manifold and 4 barrel carb.

I have no spark at the plug wires and started looking around and found 2 wires that come out of the distributor (Red and Black) the black wire goes to the NEG side of the coil but the RED wire is hanging loose. Need help put this back together please.

Thank you for your time..

Will

 

[bamamopar]

what kind of distributor? maybe the power source

 

[imager]

It looks stock to me, when i pop the cap of the 2 wires go to where (in the old days) the points and condenser would go. (Pick up)

 

[bamamopar]

pertronix electronic. what it does is takes the place of your points. Just run it to a power source and try it. It should work. i have the billet dist from them and love it

 

[67Dart273]

pertronix electronic.

I tend to agree but MAYBE NOT

You need to I.D. for certain what you actually have. Someone may have stuck a breakerless Mopar distributor in there, not knowing how to hook it up.

Can you post a photo of what's in there? Any paperwork in the glove box/ trunk, etc, pertaining to an add-on ignition system?

If it IS Pertronix, there's info at their website.

 

[bamamopar]

your right there 67. wasn't thinkin. It could be a stock electonic dist as well

 

[imager]

Ok that did not work LOL....

I think its a stock distributor.

Under the cap it has (for a lack of the right word) "air Gap Switch"? It has a screw that you can adjust just like a Points and Condenser would have.

I tend to agree but MAYBE NOT

You need to I.D. for certain what you actually have. Someone may have stuck a breakerless Mopar distributor in there, not knowing how to hook it up.

Can you post a photo of what's in there? Any paperwork in the glove box/ trunk, etc, pertaining to an add-on ignition system?

If it IS Pertronix, there's info at their website.

 

[67Dart273]

This sounds like a Mopar breakerless. I dearly hope you did not hook it to battery, you may have burned up the pickup coil

You need to figure out what you have, or post a photo Here's what Mopar breakerless look like:

From here:

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/...opar_electronic_ignition_system/cuda_318.html

In the photo, they are illustrating how to set the .008" gap

These normally are hooked to a Mopar ECU (electronics control unit) but you can ALSO use a GM HEI module, which some of us like better. Look around under the hood and see if you have one of these:

It could be black, orange, or chrome:

 

[imager]

That is 100% what i have "Mopar breakerless"

This sounds like a Mopar breakerless. I dearly hope you did not hook it to battery, you may have burned up the pickup coil

You need to figure out what you have, or post a photo Here's what Mopar breakerless look like:

From here:

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/...opar_electronic_ignition_system/cuda_318.html

In the photo, they are illustrating how to set the .008" gap

These normally are hooked to a Mopar ECU (electronics control unit) but you can ALSO use a GM HEI module, which some of us like better. Look around under the hood and see if you have one of these:

It could be black, orange, or chrome:

 

[imager]

This is what i have "Mopar breakerless" with a black "ECU"

This sounds like a Mopar breakerless. I dearly hope you did not hook it to battery, you may have burned up the pickup coil

You need to figure out what you have, or post a photo Here's what Mopar breakerless look like:

From here:

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/...opar_electronic_ignition_system/cuda_318.html

In the photo, they are illustrating how to set the .008" gap

These normally are hooked to a Mopar ECU (electronics control unit) but you can ALSO use a GM HEI module, which some of us like better. Look around under the hood and see if you have one of these:

It could be black, orange, or chrome:

 

[berlins]

another option is to get a single or dual point distributor and wire it which is easy.
I got a dual point a year ago for cheap and just have to change distributor and a couple of wires around if I want to use my Mopar Control unit(orange). Nice for troubleshooting
and can also say is original when I have the dual point in. Been using the dual point for
a while and can't tell any performance improvement with the electronic one.

 

[cleverbob]

The Mopar electronics distributor is a real nice unit, but the rest of the system is problematic for many users. I would replace both the ballast resistor and control box with GM's HEI D1906 or equiv module. Super simple hookup, two wires from the distributor connect at one end, two wires to the distributor out the other end, a ground wire and most important, mount the module on a heat sink.

I would suggest using an electronic voltage regulator, as suggested by Ma Mopar and a power relay to supply +12 to the coil. I use the VR's Dark Blue wire to energize the relay. Radio Shack sells the relay for > $8 and it can be mounted with the VR making wiring simple.

I've been working with electronic ignitions for almost 50 years, so feel free to ask any questions you may have. rwh

 

[67Dart273]

This is what i have "Mopar breakerless" with a black "ECU"

OK, it sounds as if it's not hooked up correctly. There should be a matching connector near the ECU harness that fits the 2 wire distributor connector.

Look for a ceramic resistor in the same area. We need to know if it's 2 or 4 terminal

2 terminal ballast, typical:

4 terminal ballast:

The reason this matters, is that if you have an older ECU which are known as "5 terminal" you must use a 4 terminal resistor. Newer so called "4 terminal" ECUs can use EITHER a 2 or 4 terminal ballast

Some wiring diagrams:

Newer so called "4 pin" box:

Earlier so called "5 pin" box:

 

[imager]

Ok.... what I thought was the ECU is the Voltage Regulator... So it has NO ECU... I guess the person never finished upgrade it all the way. I think i might just go back to a point type ignition just to get it running.
I just need it to run so i can move it around while i work on the inside and body. Then i want to put a 360 in it when all the other work is done.... Ok Off to find a point type Distributor.

 

[bamamopar]

Your local auto parts should have one for less than 40 bucks

 

[67Dart273]

For less money that you can buy a breaker point dist, you can hook up an HEI module. We can help you with that.

 

[imager]

Thank you ALL..... She RUNS.... a Bit Ruff but she fires right up...
(She has been sitting around for 5+ years)

Next it looks like the battery is not getting a charge. When i put a volt meter on the battery i get NO voltage change from off to idle to rev the engine. So the ALTERNATOR or has 3 wires on it.

So where should i start to find why it will not charge...

Also i need to drain the Gas tank any pointers on that?

Your local auto parts should have one for less than 40 bucks

 

[67Dart273]

If the alternator has three wires.......

A big insulated output stud

and two push on connectors....

You have a 70/ later alternator

This does not mean you have a 70/ later regulator

Does your regulator look something like this: (69/ earlier)

or this: (70/ later)

 

[imager]

Yes it has 3 wires, One large stud and 2 push on


This is what mine looks like and it is on the firewall by the break master and has 2 wires.

 

[67Dart273]

OK, someone has upgraded your system to the '70/ later system.

Here's a diagram:

The "BATT" is the big output stud. Make sure you have voltage on this stud. If you have a bulkhead connector / ammeter circuit problem, this could be dead.

The top of the ignition resistor is supplied with "ignition 1" or "ignition run" from the ignition switch. Check this voltage, key in "run" engine off.

Check the blue wire down at the alternator, key on, engine off.

Both of the above should be within 1/2 volt or less as same as battery

If this checks out, get a clip lead, unhook the green push on wire at the alternator. With Key on, clip this terminal of the alternator to ground. You should see a small spark.

Recheck the other (blue) terminal with it hooked up normally. It should still be "same as battery," less than 1/2 volt lower.

If this all checks, start the car and see if it charges. If it does, you have a regulator, / regulator wiring problem

If it does NOT charge, with the engine running "fast" check the voltage at the big stud. If it's pretty high, you have a problem in the charging lead/ bulkhead connector, / ammeter circuit.

If the stud voltage is low, it simply is not charging, and you have an alternator problem.

If it DID charge OK above, you have a regulator / wiring problem. Pull the connector off the regulator, and check the green wire for continuity down to the alternator. If the alternator charged in the first test, you can easily check this wire by hooking up the green at the alternator, and grounding the green at the regulator connector. This, again, should cause the alternator to charge lots of output.

Check the other terminal in the regulator connector, the "non green." (Should be blue on most cars.) This should be hot with key in "run"

If this all checks out , replace the regulator.