Mopar Ignition
 

If you got spark at the coil thats half the battle, if no spark at the plugs all that would leave is the rotor, cap, plug wires and plugs

ive replaced cap and rotor?

texas -

At the risk of being a $m@rt@$$, how's the coil wire (to the distributor) ... or its connectors?

Check the dist. end of the coil wire, if that's getting a spark, has to be in the car/rotor.

Archer

Im open to all suggestion's. I have placed a spark tester between the coil and the cap. I do get a spark. When I gapped the reluctor I did use a steel feeler gauge, could that have messed something up.

I like that Archer

But any who, if you have spark at the coil wire (wire end checked at the end that plugs into the distributor cap) then I would go back and double check for spark at the plugs. Use a extra plug one that is not installed in the engine, ground to motor block, crank engine and look real close. BTW your suppose to use a brass feller gauge to gap reluctor but if you say you got spark at the coil wire something has to work.

no spark at the plugs.

texas -

So you have spark coming into the dist, but nothing coming out?

Sorry been out in the sun for a while and my brain may be fried.

Archer

Yes sir, thats whats so strange. I have spark at the coil wire. but nothing at the plugs (checked multiple plugs) figured it was cap or rotor I replaced them and still no spark. Earlier I stated I used a steel feeler guage to gap the reluctor at .008 could that have caused a problem somewhere? I really appreciate everyones help.

Have you cranked it over with the cap off, Perhaps the rotor isn't spinning.:D

checked that Polaradude its spinning!!

The rotor has to be turning unless not mounted all the way on the shaft, by the making and breaking of the field in the coil this is how the spark is created. and the making and breaking is being made thru the reluctor passing thru a magnetic field (contact points opening and closing, old style) Texas, assuming everything here is accurate it has to be rotor, cap, wires or plugs now maybe the rotor aint turning on the end of the distributor shaft for some reason although I never heard of this, try slightly bending the brass end that sits under the center terminal of the cap, make sure that is a good connection.

Is 6 volts at the coil enough? maybe a bad cell in the battery?

Certainly not from experience but.....

I don't think your ballast resistor should be dropping 6 volts ie.. 12 in and 6 out. When I bought my truck the ballast resistor was wired wrong and essentially was not in the circuit at all. The engine ran good but the ignition coil got really hot and would fail.

Like I say I may be wrong but it seems to me the ballast resistor would be "current limiting" in this circuit. There will always be some voltage drop acrossed any resistor but I don't 'think' it should be by half.

I will stop short of suggesting jumping the resistor out, but you may want to try replacing it or at the very least find out what the ohm reading should be, and test it.

I will test mine tonight and let you know what it reads.
Good Luck.
Joe.

Your ballast resister, if wired correctly, is bypassed during cranking and starting. Remember you did say there was spark at the coil center terminal but if only six volts are at the coil with the ignition turned on I would look for a bad connection somewhere between ignition switch and coil. You could always bypass the ignition and run straight power to the positive side of the coil while cranking (this is one way to hot wire a car by the way) do this with the ignition switch in the run position if the car starts you probably got some bad wiring.

Ok cool. had to ask man.:D

Oh, what about if the shear pin is gone ? ? Would it spin then ? Oh and thanks for electrical 101.

Hey Texas, are you running 2 pin or 4 pin resistor ? Also are you running the orange or chrome box ?

Not sure what shear pin your thinking unless your thinking a split distributor shat and if so the upper half which the rotor sits on would also contain the reluctor (if HEI) or breaker points (if not). I thought i read some where in this post it was HEI but cant find it now but the principle is the same. If it is HEI it would be a four terminal resister, if contact points it would be a 2 terminal resistor.

lot of moisture in the cap? try spraying the inside of the cap and parts with wd 40. or or maybe sumthing is grounding out inside the dist,

2 pin ballast and the orange box. I have a spare from Napa also which is blue.

I measured 1.4 ohms (resistance) through my ballast resistor. I am not sure if this is a good reading other than I don't seem to have any trouble in this area. The measurement was taken with no wires attached to the resistor.

Good luck.
Joe.

.08 to 1.5 on the balast resistor.

Reluctor gap
 

Brass is recomended because of the magnatic "pull" will give you a false feel. Plastic may also be used. You should have 7-8 volts at the coil. The resistance of the ballast must be matched to the coil being used. Is your coil wire good?
Check the link for info on coil and ballast. I have trouble shooting link also if you need it.
http://www.mopartsracing.com/parts/electronic.html

grandpa says make sure your engine ground is tight, and your body ground

You know, as simple as that sounds, I bet granpa is on to something!

i had that problem would fire even at the pluge but woulnt start, and all it was, was a loose ground wire from the block