Which ignition wire?

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7dswinger

7dswinger

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I'm re-wiring a few things right now and I want to connect the 12v switched lead from the 6A box to the ignition key. I needs to be on when you turn the car over and stay on until you turn the car off. Just don't know what wire I need to connect it too. There's a yellow, black, blue coming from the column that comes from the ignition key but what one I don't know. Thanks!
 
There is no "one wire."

You need to understand how Mopar igntiion switches work, which of course are actually SEVERAL switches in one container.

For ignition/ starting there are three

1--- Traditional yellow, goes to starter relay, and in conjunction with neutral safety switch and starter relay, cranks the engine

2--- Traditional dark blue, "ignition run" or IGN 1, goes from switch, through bulkhead, to one side of the ballast resistor, and also feeds the regulator IGN terminal, and on 70/ later cars, also feeds the blue alternator field, electric choke if used, idle solenoid if used, etc, maybe a couple of smog doo dads.

THE ABOVE WIRE is hot ONLY in run and GOES DEAD in "start."

3--- Traditional brown, the coil resistor bypass, or "IGN 2" goes from switch, through the firewall, to the coil+ side of the ballast resistor. HOT ONLY during crank.

The easy way to do this is to bypass the coil resistor, which will result in the blue and brown being tied together. Then take your original coil + wire and hook it to the red trigger wire on your MSD

To conclude, the brown bypass is hot in "crank" and the blue "run" wire is hot in "run"
 
So I would take the blue wire that runs from the bulk head connector and joins the blue wire from the alternator field off and pull the brown wire thats on the ballast resister for the ignition coil off and tie those together, and then put the trigger wire for the MSD on the end of the brown wire?

Here's the diagram I'm looking at:
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1972/72DartA.JPG
 
You can do this a couple of ways:

1 Hook all 4 wires at the ballast together. then take the original ring terminal that fed the coil positive and run it to the red MSD trigger wire

or

2 If you want to permanently cut off the ballast connector, and tie the wires together, you can cut them apart, and trace the coil + wire separate and cut it back. Connect the remaining 3 together, along with adding the small red MSD trigger wire.
 
I thought you needed the ballast resister for the alternator though? Though it makes sense as the dark from the alternator field and the dark blue from the alternator regulator are tied to the same point on the ballast so it wouldn't a difference then.
Great I'll do that thanks, makes more sense now
 
No ballast is strictly for the coil. Not needed for the MSD
 
Got ya, great one more thing I can pull out and get rid of some more mess with that as it's un-needed. The wiring in my car is horrible so I'm doing my best at getting things sorted out right now :D
Thanks for the help
 
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