Ignition Problem 1974 Charger

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Old Sep 27, 2010 | 07:26 PM
  #1  
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jls
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Ignition Problem 1974 Charger

I recently purchased a 1974 dodge charger with a 318. I ran good for a couple of weeks but one day I came out to go to work and it would not start.
I turn the key and there is absolute silence, no clicking nothing turns over.
It has a new battery and I traced from the ignition switch to the positive termanal of the ignition coil. When I turn the Key there is power to the coil. So I changed the coil but it still wont start.
Anyone have any advice for a non-electrician.
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Old Sep 27, 2010 | 08:37 PM
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1966sportfury's Avatar
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From: couer d' alene id.
still dont try to turn over? sounds like the starter relay, small gold anodized looking box on thr fire wall. you can jump it with a screwdriver at the terminals if that does nothing it could be the starter
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Old Sep 28, 2010 | 09:47 AM
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Thanks I will try that after work! If I can jump it with a screwdriver do i just need a new starter relay?
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Old Sep 28, 2010 | 06:23 PM
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From: couer d' alene id.
yes
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Old Oct 1, 2010 | 11:59 AM
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I changed my starter relay and still no luck.
just silence
By adding a jump wire from the ground terminal to a good ground I am able to get the engine to turn over but not start.

please help.

I have no idea what to try now.

The jump wire from the ground terminal on the starter relay to a good ground is of course a temporary solution. Can someone help with how to trace where the electrical problem is?

Last edited by jls; Oct 1, 2010 at 01:18 PM.
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Old Oct 1, 2010 | 12:52 PM
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My 67 Dodge Coronet is in the Same Boat as you regarding "Turning over" but no Start

My 67 Dodge Coronet is in the Same Boat as you regarding "Turning over" but no Start.

I had recently rebuilt the Carter carb..and Did in fact have clogged fuel ports...but I 'fixed that" ..and also put in a HP carter mech. fuel pump..so fuel in getting to the Carb. Of course, that was 'after' I had to install a
new "Gas Tank pickup w/screen"... which resulted from not starting my car for 11 yrs "LoL". However, with a rebuilt set of '68 Hi Po Cylinder heads and Headers.. plus new coil....It should be 'rearing to start up & Go". This
break in 'action' ..is probably a great time to upgrade to a new Electronic
Ignition.. Like you '68 and Newer Mopars ...had as O.E.M.". Well.,...I give
another try this weekend.. TO see if it starts. Well those are my comments...
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Old Oct 22, 2010 | 04:47 PM
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check your neutral switch on tranny

Originally Posted by jls
I recently purchased a 1974 dodge charger with a 318. I ran good for a couple of weeks but one day I came out to go to work and it would not start.
I turn the key and there is absolute silence, no clicking nothing turns over.
It has a new battery and I traced from the ignition switch to the positive termanal of the ignition coil. When I turn the Key there is power to the coil. So I changed the coil but it still wont start.
Anyone have any advice for a non-electrician.
--
Hi ==check the neutral switch on tranny...3 prongs or so...if they get gummed with tranny fluid, or severed, etc...you will get nothing when trying to start.,...except byu the old screwdriver.....this is first place to look...usually the culprit....make sure the connection is good to this..change it out..10.00 part.,..
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Old Oct 28, 2010 | 01:03 PM
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From: central ,IN
look at the wire on the firewall that goes from the starter relay to the bulkhead connecter, where that wire goes in gets corroded, and when you start moving things you get enough contact to start ounce, then noghting, till you mess with it again, sometimes the spade connecter will break off in the plug slot. c-what ya got.
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Old Dec 25, 2010 | 08:14 AM
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Coronet '74 engine weakness.

Dear friends,
I have a 1974 Dodge Coronet (318, 4 barrel TQ, 727 transmission), and my problem is very simple as fatal : the engine has a lack of power, in the morning (cold) it starts fine -but i get the street and half an hour after (approx) the engine dies and is very difficult to start it again -. The other issue : the car is unable to move upward a slope -or a hill road upward- . If i try it, the engine gets off. What can cause this ? May i check something before to change the timing chain ? Thanks in advance. Rich.
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Old Dec 25, 2010 | 08:23 AM
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auerdoan's Avatar
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Thumbs up

Originally Posted by Minnesota Guy
--
Hi ==check the neutral switch on tranny...3 prongs or so...if they get gummed with tranny fluid, or severed, etc...you will get nothing when trying to start.,...except byu the old screwdriver.....this is first place to look...usually the culprit....make sure the connection is good to this..change it out..10.00 part.,..

This happend to mine recently

yea 3 prongs on mine a727 tranny driver side of transmission toward the i got lucky i saw a loose wire and pugged it back and a ok
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Old Dec 25, 2010 | 08:35 AM
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From: Long Island, NY
jls -

OK, you figured out the poor battery ground problem - good.

Your car should have an electonic ignition (a blue box on the passenger side of the fire wall with a harness going into the front), that unit may be fried. Not sure if this has been covered, but you should have one or more ballast resistors on the fire wall (white ceramic boxes), they may be fried.

You could also just pull a plug and confirm that a plug is actually firing.

C -

It could be a timing problem (lack of power under resistance) or something happens when the car is nose up. After the car has been running can you jack it up with a floor jack and see if the engine starts to "starve". If it does, you might be looking a carb rebuild, if not, then it's a load problem and that can be a lot of things in the engine/tranny, etc.

Archer
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Old Dec 25, 2010 | 10:26 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by Minnesota Guy
--
Hi ==check the neutral switch on tranny...3 prongs or so...if they get gummed with tranny fluid, or severed, etc...you will get nothing when trying to start.,...except byu the old screwdriver.....this is first place to look...usually the culprit....make sure the connection is good to this..change it out..10.00 part.,..
THIS

You already eliminated part of the problem:

The key is providing power "in start" because it works when you grounded the relay

The relay is good and you've replaced it

so now the problem is "why is the relay not grounding?"

The only thing left is the wire harness, the connections, to the neutral safety switch, and then the switch itself

BUT...........

There is some possibility that the device known as the "comb" in the transmission is not engaging the neutral switch. I don't believe these fail very often.
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Old Feb 6, 2011 | 09:52 PM
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From: Texas
1973 dodge charger se 727 tranny !

please help this project was passed on to me and i need help with two things... i need help wiring my alternator???? thw wires are plugged in to the back of the alternator but they are cut off from the other end.. and second i checked the neutral safety switch and and it has no connector!!!! looked for it everywhere cant find it..must'ved burned out and fell!! please help!
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