Replaced wiring harness, Engine doesn't want to run anymore.

[SputnikOne]

Hey all, figured I'd post a thread in here too Incase you guys knew anything about the issue, yesterday I replaced the engine bay/lighting harness on my 1973 dart swinger, and now the car has a horrid shake to it and will not stay running, I'm pretty certain I installed everything back the way it goes.



It feels/sounds like barely any of the cylinders are firing anymore, but I'm not expert here.

 

[67Dart273]

You probably should have stayed with the original thread, to maintain continuity/ history. Frankly the first thing I'd do is make certain you did not bump the dist. cap "crooked," and or damage the rotor, and double triple check firing order, 153624, or maybe just a wire knocked loose or even a plug that just happened to foul for some reason.

How about vacuum hoses knocked loose? Is the dist. clamp tight? Choke open? Take your meter and measure battery running charging voltage. Maybe you did something wrong and the alternator is full output

 

[SputnikOne]

I tried to move the distributor cap and it was tight, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been moved, the only thing I touched on it is the unplug the connector that comes off of it and plug it into the new harness.

I'll take a look at it, but I'm alittle unfamiliar with distributors let alone the slant six one that's alittle annoying to get too.

 

[SputnikOne]

I know during the installation I had to pull the big wiring coming off of the ignition coil off, but I put it back on, that and the two terminals on the side.

 

[SputnikOne]

Still didn't start right, haven't got the time just yet to take the distributor and the plugs off to look at them, but here's some better photos with sunlight.

I noticed the strange little two wire connectors that go to th distributor were super loose, so I pushed them in fully, no change there.

 

[RedFish]

I tried to move the distributor cap and it was tight, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been moved, the only thing I touched on it is the unplug the connector that comes off of it and plug it into the new harness.

I'll take a look at it, but I'm alittle unfamiliar with distributors let alone the slant six one that's alittle annoying to get too.

While reading here I recalled earlier comments about the 2 wires in that distributer connector being reversed. @67Dart273

 

[SputnikOne]

I was thinking that myself, if they weren't reversed, and I were to reverse them, would that cause a much larger issue? I know reversing polarities on certain components is a huge do-not

 

[RedFish]

I was thinking that myself, if they weren't reversed, and I were to reverse them, would that cause a much larger issue? I know reversing polarities on certain components is a huge do-not

I can't recall what the symptom was. Sorry

 

[RustyRatRod]

Still didn't start right, haven't got the time just yet to take the distributor and the plugs off to look at them, but here's some better photos with sunlight.

I noticed the strange little two wire connectors that go to th distributor were super loose, so I pushed them in fully, no change there.

View attachment 1716441592

View attachment 1716441593

View attachment 1716441594

You need to swap the wires around in the two wire connector going to the distributor. You have them wired backwards in the picture above.

 

[SputnikOne]

There's two connectors, I believe a symptom of the V8 applicable package and the first connector-connector wire is just an extension adapter, since it connects twice, it should just reverse it back right?

 

[67Dart273]

The way the reversed pickup works is that it changes the trigger point of the spark in relation to the rotor, which has become known as "rotor phasing." Google that. What happens is, the spark event is changed enough that it happens when the rotor is not aligned with a plug tower, and causes cross firing in the cap, etc.

If you can round up some alligator clip leads ( North 40 and Horrid Fright sells them) you can reverse the thing for testing with them.


There are articles and yewtoobe vids on checking it. It certainly could cause this problem. It should not be possible with a stock setup, but we've had at least a couple guys claim in so.

 

[RustyRatRod]

There's two connectors, I believe a symptom of the V8 applicable package and the first connector-connector wire is just an extension adapter, since it connects twice, it should just reverse it back right?

Yeah well just leave it then. Mine runs good.

 

[SputnikOne]

The way the reversed pickup works is that it changes the trigger point of the spark in relation to the rotor, which has become known as "rotor phasing." Google that. What happens is, the spark event is changed enough that it happens when the rotor is not aligned with a plug tower, and causes cross firing in the cap, etc.

If you can round up some alligator clip leads ( North 40 and Horrid Fright sells them) you can reverse the thing for testing with them.


There are articles and yewtoobe vids on checking it. It certainly could cause this problem. It should not be possible with a stock setup, but we've had at least a couple guys claim in so.

Double checked the wires, assuming the factory connector that comes out of the distributor's brown and grey is the same as the brown/white and grey/black wires on the new harness, it does seem like this reversed.

The first connector doesn't reverse the wires, or atleast it doesn't seem so, I assume the grey wire is the dark one and the brown wire is the lighter tanish one, either way they flip at the second connector but don't flip back on the first.

 

[SputnikOne]

Yep, checked old pictures, brown goes to tan and white goes to black, so I need to reverse the connector, it doesn't look like there's a way to take the wire out and reinstall it into the connectors, so I think I should just cut the connector out and use a butt connector or two inplace of the reversed connector to get it in the right order, and thoughts?

 

[SputnikOne]

Well, I went and did what I discussed, and she fired right up, sounds good as new.

As far as I'm aware everything is now functioning, but I don't have the time tonight to take it for a drive, so I'll leave that for later.

Once again thanks so much for all the help, I'm certainly learning a whole lot about classic cars, and well cars in general.

 

[67Dart273]

So the pickup was reversed?

 

[TF360]

Dell, if you look at the Pic's above, the connector ( 2 wire Distributor Connection) the color coded wires were not connected properly. Rusty noticed it, and I think he just clipped the wires and connected them. Wonder if he will need any rubber around them-like factory

 

[TF360]

You need to swap the wires around in the two wire connector going to the distributor. You have them wired backwards in the picture above.

Good find!