No Fire!

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Confusedcuda

Confusedcuda

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Hey guy's, 67 barracuda, has been driving fine, sat for about a week and couple days, went to start it and no fire. Pulled the coil wire at dist. and it seems I am getting no spark. 2 months ago it did this and I had to replace the ballist resistor and it worked fine. I always keep a spare one, so I install a new one and still no fire. I noticed after cranking it a couple of times, that the resistor got very warm and started to smoke. So I stopped. I noticed every one of these new resitors have the open back where you can see the resitor, seem kind of cheap. Any ideas, Thanks!
 
Confusedcuda said:
Hey guy's, 67 barracuda, has been driving fine, sat for about a week and couple days, went to start it and no fire. Pulled the coil wire at dist. and it seems I am getting no spark. 2 months ago it did this and I had to replace the ballist resistor and it worked fine. I always keep a spare one, so I install a new one and still no fire. I noticed after cranking it a couple of times, that the resistor got very warm and started to smoke. So I stopped. I noticed every one of these new resitors have the open back where you can see the resitor, seem kind of cheap. Any ideas, Thanks!
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I'm not sure which ballist you have,but there are 2 circuts that go to it.One is the start mode where the resister is sorta by=passed,the other is the run mode.Sometimes when the resister has failed it will crank and start and when you let off the key it will stall,the other is a crank no start.Try using a test ligh or volt meter on the coil and see when power is getting to the coil.That would be your 1st test:dink:
If you are using an MSD or other aftermarket ignition,the ballast resister is usually removed.Now tell us whatcha got:toothy8:
 
You need to post what you have for an ignition, points, Mopar ECU, GM Hei, MSD, what???

The "open back" on a coil resistor does not mean cheap. Some were made that way.

They DO get hot, that is why they are made of ceramic.

If they are failing often, you may have a bad coil, or a mismatch between coil and ballast, IE coil is too low resistance, and is drawing too much current.

It also may be -- you are NOT I dearly hope-- leaving the key in the "run" position (as to listen to the radio) with the engine off?
 
73AbodEE said:
if this has electronic ignition, try a different EI box and a new ballast resistor.
Click to expand...

This is known as "throwing parts at a problem." In your case you suggested the most expensive part in the ignition system first.

Why don't we do some troubleshooting FIRST?
 
67Dart273 said:
This is known as "throwing parts at a problem." In your case you suggested the most expensive part in the ignition system first.

Why don't we do some troubleshooting FIRST?
Click to expand...

lol yes you are right. i dont like the throwing parts at it advice either, but i figured in this case , it may be a matter of just plugging in a new box. some people keep a few these laying around. that was all i had to offer since we dont know what ignition he is running.
 
I have the orange box Elec. ign mopar dist. etc. I do think I have an extra orange box some where. I may also have another coil, I did a couple of weeks ago use my radio thats mounted in my trunk for music at a show.I will let you guy know, thyanks
 
OK, so do a few tests

Remove the connectors from the distributor, the ECU and the resistor, and work them in/ out to scrub them clean (A littl bit 'o the 'ol in out in out, eh?)

ClockworkOrangeGIF2.gif


Then go downtown to O'Really and pick up a .008" (that's inches, not mm) brass feeler, and check the reluctor gap in your distributor, along with examining it for damage, rust and debri.

Then hook your mulitmeter to the distributor connector, set to low AC volts, and crank the engine. The dist. should generate about 1V AC

Check supply voltage to the system. One QUICK way is to simply hook a nice big clip lead directly from the coil + terminal to a battery source, like the stud on the starter relay. See if you have spark.
 
Okay guy's here is what I have done today,

We checked the coil at run position and start position. 12 volts both ways. no spark.

The ballast resistor is fine...reading 1.2 ohms or so.

The voltage to the ecu on the pale blue wire with the yellow stripe is 12 volts on run. Voltage drops to 8 on when the engine is cranked. this is the wire that comes from one side of the ballast resistor.

Input?
 
The coil should not have 12V in both run and start. 12V in run indicates either the ballast is bypassed, or the coil is not drawing current. Mopar ECU's draw current in "run" with engine off, so it just might be a bad ECU

The voltage on the "pale blue" might just be OK, because it is being "backfed" from the start / bypass circuit during crank. That is, the "run" (dark blue) goes cold during cranking.
 
So I will start with replacing the orange box ECU... Only my 2nd one in 3 or 4 years....
 
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