No Spark - I'm Heading For The Rafters With a Rope

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elmedico

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Hi Folks - Here is my issue. My 70 Dart was in a million pieces. I have since put it back together, new (used) 318 motor, the works. New Year One engine harness and existing dash harness. Was a points car but bought all the electronic ignition stuff and the year one engine harness is modified from the factory for electronic ignition.. Here is my issue:

I've got it so when the key is turned to "on" there is 12v at both the + and - side of the coil. There is no power to the doo-hickey wire coming off the distributor. Everything is wired properly as far as I can see (I'm sure something is wrong, hence my problem). When the motor cranks from turning the key to start, there is no spark coming out of the top of the coil and obviously no spark going to the plugs. I have replaced the coil with a known working coil and the wires are all new...

I don't know where to look now... Please help - this project is killing me!

Eric
 
1. Make sure you have 12 volts to the power pin on the control module.

2. make sure the control module is well grounded.

3. if that doesn't do it then swap the control module to another car and see if that car will run. If it does then you goofed some where in the wiring or there is a bad pick up in the distributor.
 
Dave thanks... Which one is the power pin?

Keep in mind that I have power on both the + and - side of the coil and when I turn the key to start and the motor cranks, nothing comes out the top of the coil.
 
Here is a diagram to go by,Mrmopartech

4pin.jpg
 
Thanks... I actually have the 5 pin ECU.. Just the same, I've got power at 3 of 5 points..
 
don't forget to check your ballast resistor (even if it's new!) try a different one
 
Don't know if you have got it going or not, however here's some troubleshooting info and a few pic's (one's a 5 pin)..Make sure the Mod is grounded. Just checking...make sure your distrubutor is turning?

5 pin mod (Small).jpg


pic 1 (Small).jpg


pic 2 (Small).jpg
 
Nothing doing, Gents... I'll try replacing one thing at a time at this point and see if that does it... Other than that, I am at a complete loss.
 
I presume you've checked that the distributor actually rotates (no broken shaft) and there is a rotor installed.
Good luck.
 
elmedico said:
Nothing doing, Gents... I'll try replacing one thing at a time at this point and see if that does it... Other than that, I am at a complete loss.
Click to expand...

Once you have everything replaced again, give it a try. If still no joy, start braking the connections "one" at a time checking for voltage at those connections. Let us know the locations where you have votage and no voltage, so we can troubleshoot with you. You said you have power at the coil, but not going to the distrubutor from the mod?? Can you get your hands on a spare mod? (even if yours is new) or brake the pigtail distributor connection, are you getting a reading there from the mod?

PS, Your not "at" a complete loss......because there's just no giving up. (MOPAR DISIPLINE)
 
I have been racking my brain trying to figure out the answer to the exact same problem.
Mine is a 1976 Plymouth Valiant with a 318 and factory electronic ignition. Vehicle hasnt ran since 1988. I have checked both sides of the ballast resistor with a test light and key in the on position and both sides have power according to my test light. I replaced the coil and all the while have been getting power to both sides of the coil,and have put in a different distributor,but all I get is a crank and no start.I would be glad if the engine at least hiccupped or at least made an effort to start but at this point I get nothing. I also have no power in the distributor connector wiring. According to a wiring diagram I have seen ,the - wire into the coil should be black with a yellow tracer,mine is brown and the + is black with a yellow tracer. Could these be backwards? What can happen if I were to swap them.Thanks for all the help and ill be watching this thread for answers.

BTW I just went out and checked,and I only have power to 3 of the 5 pins at the connector going into the ECU.
Gotta be something simple since 2 people are having the exact same issue.
 
I remember when my 71 Cuda went down with no spark and it ended up being a shorted out tach wire.
Good Luck!
 
I`d bought a new Mopar electronic ignition and the orange box was bad from the factory. I took it to the local auto parts store where they checked it on their machine. (After I had spent all day trying to figure out what was wrong) The box was bad and I bought a new one, went home ,installed it and BAM! ,I was in business.You might give it a try.Let us know what you do find when you catch that gremlin.
 
I talked yesterday about a few things. But, have a feeling somethings not grounded correctly or perhaps you have your "start/run" wires mixed up from your iginition? Make sure from your firewall connector you have both 12V at the run/on wire and start wire, also;
Do this to "confirm" you have a "very" good MOD/ECU ground.
More then likely your mod/ECU is mounted on the firewall or fender. Take out one screw and add a extra large guage wire (jumper) to the screw, then bolt it to another grounging area that's not paint covered. Also remember...your voltage reg is connected within this wiring system and voltage will move though the least resistance first, so ensure every wire is correct.

You may have to do a complete continuity test on your wire runs to ensure you don't have a short somewhere.

Keep giving us feedback on your progress.
 
I remember when I converted my 69 383-S to electronic ignition. Mopar Performance stated I needed to buy an electronic voltage regulator. I don't know why. I bought the one that looks like an original buy actually has electronic internals. Thought I would throw this in for thought.
Good Luck.
 
Had the same problem last week on my Dart the plug that goes into the orange box was not all the way in. Pull the plug all the way out then make sure you push all the way in until it snaps. I tried for 4 hours to get spark to my motor I did everything including rebuilding the dist. always ends up being a stupid little thing like a plug. Won't hurt give it a try.
 
Check all ground and conections.
ESCM bad box. swap with known good part.
just had this problem with 74 trail duster.
Bad Box. Then lees than a month later my 83 Ram 250,same thing.
 
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