I have an intermittent problem starting my 440 with electronic ignition. It will crank and fire up when its cold. After it warms up and I try to restart it will not fire up but as I am letting up on the switch it will sometimes catch and start. When it fails to start, I have power to the coil in both the run and start position. I replaced the orange ignition control unit, the coil and the ballast resistor. I ran a wire from the battery positive to the coil positive and tried to start it without success. Will a the magnetic pickup in the distributer cause this. After it starts, the engine runs great. When I replaced the ignition control unit, I replaced the harness and plug to the unit. The engine always cranks over good it just wont fire up. I think running the hotwire to the coil eliminates the ignition switch and relay as possible causes.

 

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Are you sure the ICU is well grounded?
While that does sound like a flaky ICU, a ground short anywhere could cause the same symptoms.

Archer

 

I cleaned the paint off of the new ICU mount screw holes and attached a separate ground wire to the lower mount screw. Is it possible that the magnetic pickup is failing when it gets warm?

 

http://dave78chieftain.com/Ignition_Syste.html

 

Thanks Dan. I will go thru the test this weekend.

 

Check the crank side of the ballast.

 

Thanks Bob
What baffles me is it starts and runs great when it is cold. When its warm and wont start, I still have power to the coil in both start and run positions.

 

If you have a spare Ignition controller, see if that fixes it... Must be breaking down after it gets warm... Also check the ground for the box and try adding a ground wire as a precaution..(Just what I have run into)

 

What is the voltage at coil run and start? The engine “catching” moving key from start to run is what needs checking. Check voltage when cranking then disconnect power to starter motor , no cranking, and check voltage again. This could be your answer. Although you say it didn’t start with battery wire to coil which is odd.

 

Thanks Dan for the link to the troubleshooting the ignition system. I printed it out and will save it. It turned out to be the pick up. I tested it at the distributer plug and it was good. To be safe, I removed the cap and wiggled the wires in the dist. The ohm readings started bouncing around. Why it worked fine when it was cold and screwed up when it was warm I don't know. I have tried it the last few days and starts every time when its warm. Feel confident enough to take it to the gas station and get fueled up while its still cheap.