Hey all

I just switched over to electronic ignition on a 66(383) dodge Monaco convertible that I just inherited from my father and trying to get it started.......no luck

I have a proform 66993 conversion kit installed. I checked that there was 12v going to the ECU(Blue wire) and yes. I connected blue wire to one side of the ballast resistor(Key in run position side)

I checked the voltage at the coil with the key on and got 6V? Shouldn't it be 12V? I have black wire from ECU connected to the (-) of coil as per wiring diagram that came with KIT. I ohmed out the coil and got 1.6ohms across(+) and (-) and 10500ohm between (-) and output to distributor.

I lined up the timing marks and insured she was at TDC on cylinder #1 and lined up the distributer to plug wire 1. Firing order is correct

I also connected a jumper wire from the negative of the battery to the mounting screw of the ECU to insure it was not a grounding issue.

SO WHY 6V? BAD ECU?

I'm a newbie at working with car ignition systems but have a good electrical background.

Any advise is greatly appreciated.

cheers

Glen

 

HI, one thing...........when you post a question on an aftermarket item, PLEASE post a link to it and the destructions. I had to fiddle around and find them

These are hooked up just like the newer Mopar conversions, and the thing is, your ballast resistor essentially hooks up exactly like the old points system

1....Low voltage to coil. This is NORMAL. The coil is being fed voltage IN THE RUN POSITION of the key through the ballast. This will VARY all the way from about 6V or less (engine not running) to up to 10-12V or so with engine running and system charging.

2......No spark. The most likely reason is that you somehow did not get the coil ballast bypass hooked back up. There should be a brown wire coming out of the bulkhead connector and connecting to the COIL end of the ballast resistor. This is the bypass circuit coming from the ignition switch and during CRANKING is the only source of ignition power

HOW to check?

EASY. Clip you meter to coil + and crank the engine USING THE KEY. You should have "close to" same as battery voltage, and in no case below 10V

Now move the meter lead over to the "key" side of the ballast. With key in "run" you should have close to "same as battery" IE if the battery is fully charged, about 12.4--12.6V

Now with the meter probe still hooked at that point, again crank the engine USING THE KEY. Voltage will now be LESS than you had "when cranking" at the coil, perhaps 9--10V

It is imperitive that the ECU be grounded

Remove the distributor connector. Turn the key to "run." Take a clip lead and ground first one, then the other, of the distributor connector terminals on the engine bay side. (Not the distributor end) ONE of the two will cause 1 spark each time you ground the wire. If not, there is something wrong with wiring or the ECU

With key in run, double check coil+ voltage. You should have your 6V or so

Now move the probe to the coil NEG terminal. Voltage here should be very LOW, perhaps 1/2 volt or even less

Take your multimeter and set it for low AC volts. That is correct, AC volts. Hook the probes to the distributor connector terminals and crank the engine. The distributor should generate about 1V AC

Inspect inside the distributor, the reluctor wheel and pickup for rust, debri (metal chips) and strike damage. Inspect and wiggle the shaft for excessive shaft play, and watch it rotate, check for bent. Get a brass feeler gauge (O'Reallys had these) and check the reluctor to pickup gap at .008". That is inches, not metric

Destructions:

http://www.proformparts.com/common/i...ibutor_Kit.pdf

In the diagram, notice the top and bottom of the ballast, wire on top says "start position of ignition switch." This is the BROWN bypass circuit. In start, this supplies hot 12V direct to the coil. The 'run' supply goes DEAD in crank

On the bottom, notice the wire marked "run position." This is your old blue "ignition run" coming out of the bulkhead. Notice that it goes THROUGH the ballast and to the coil. The coil is grounded when the box turns on, and the box is "on" when the key is 'on' with the engine stopped.

 

Thanks 440RR.....My apologies for not adding link

Destructions.......

Thanks for the instructions. Regarding grounding, I mounted the ECU to the firewall with self tapping hex head screws. Will this ground the unit or should I have scrapped some paint off the chassis of the ECU and firewall. I did run a jumper from mounting to screw to ground but now that I think about it, the ECU is painted and perhaps not making a good ground. I will check it again.

Regarding Spark! this is the only thing I didn't check yet.... Once I saw 6V at the coil I was sure this was the issue and never checked any further. I will check for spark.

The one thing about this kit that bugs me.......is that the ECU comes with a GREEN wire coming out of it but the wiring diagram tells me not to use it and does not indicate what it's for? Being that it is green would make me think it's a ground wire but it tells me not to use it?

Cheers and thanks
Glen

 

The green is most likely for the older so called "5 pin" boxes. This was used with the dual ballast resistor, the "4 pin" resistor which is actually 2 different resistors in one ceramic. The older ECUs were powered through this second resistor

I would get something better than "self tapping." On at least one, find a place to drill through the firewall and put a nut behind. One "trick" I've learned is to get the bolt in, and "whichever end" is accesible, clamp a small vise grip pliers to the bolt head. Then you can "leisurely" go round to the other end and tighten it up

The "tell tale" for grounding is to turn the IGN on and check coil voltage with the key in "run". If one end of the ballast (the key end) is near battery, 12.x v and the "coil" end is near 6V then the coil is drawing current and the box is grounded

A further way to check box grounding is to set your meter on low DC volts. Stab one probe into the top of the battery NEG post. Stab the other probe into the metal of the box. You are looking for a very low reading, the lower the better, and zero is perfect, this again, with the key in "run."

 

thanks again!

I just confirmed a good ground with your checks
and I do have spark at #1 plug.

This leads me to believe it is a timing issue? Can I rotate the new distributor by removing the cover and adjusting it that way or by removing the clamp down bolt? Again as you can see I'm a newbie at this.

Im certain that I put the distributor in the same way the old one came out, lined them both up the same way, then placed my thumb on plug hole #1 and cranked untill my thumb popped off. then lined up the timeing marks and checked distributor and dial was close to #1 plug wire. plug wires are connected as........Firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 in counter clockwise direction.



cheers
Glen

 

Sounds right. Check spark "right out of the coil." And by now, I hope, LOL, you realize that in checking spark you have two completely different situations............

1.....If you check spark by using the key to crank the engine, this provides "normal" cranking voltage to the coil and ECU.

2....If you check by jumpering the starter relay this does NOT provide "normal" voltage, because with the key in "run" you are still going through the ballast resistor, and will have REDUCED coil voltage during crank.

 

I used situation # 1.

I again lined up the timing marks and checked rotor position on distributor and it was slightly off #1.......I just made an adjustment by rotation the distributor slightly clockwise to line up #1 with rotor dial and still will not fire up.......not even a try........nothing.

perhaps she is flooded........I will try tommorrow.

cheers and thanks

Glen

 

You do have a good hot spark?

Pull the (some of the) plugs? and check for fouling?

 

I have my brother in law dropping over this evening to help me trouble shoot this. He is good at this stuff..... I'll have him confirm if my spark is good and check for fouled plugs too. To me spark wasn't blue but more of a white color.

Thanks 440RR for your assistance so far, it's greatly appreciated and respected. I'm sure is it something simple

cheers

 

Got the car running last night. It was a combination of it being flooded and choke not activating plus the characteristicly slow cranking of the these starters(reduction gear) For some reason I thought the choke was on........

She starts and runs nice. I love the hum of a big V8!

Cheers and thanks again for your help 440!

Glen

 

heres a hint. 1. get 2 resisters put in the glove box. at the next no start just replace a resister under the hood, dont even think about it. 2. ALLWAYS carry a VOM in the glove box. HF has a red one cheap. but i have a few. and they are more accurate than you thing. the best thing is if you goof up you cant lose much

 

Funny, I was just thinking about that today, about getting a spare resister. I do have several Multimeters I might just toss one in the glove box.

cheers and thanks for the reminder

 

Still running good?

 

For those of you who carry around a replacement ballast resistor, there's
an easier solution from the coil manufacturers. Most of the big names
like Mallory, MSD and Pertronics now manufacture coils that have the
resister circuit built right in. Mine is a Mallory and I've been running it
for a couple years. It puts out somewhere between 55 an 65,000 volts
allowing me to increase the plug gap to 55. Plug heat range doesn't seem
to matter anymore either. A bit off topic but a bit of F.Y.I.