Are you ready for a real weird one? Random NO spark from a MP electronic ignition system despite numerous parts swapped around...

[68 Sport Satellite]

the ballast resistor I use with my Firecore unit is 1 ohm. I imagine Rick's will be 0.8-1 ohm. Does the Rick E distributor have slots with screws to allow for adjustable mechanical advance without welding and grinding to set it?

 

[kiwigtx]

Yes when the meter battery goes down you can get wonky readings

Wild readings at times....lol

Always test the meter on voltage at the battery first to see if the reading is within expected range - testing for reasonable accuracy.


Always touch the leads together when set at Ohms.... you will see a small resistance. That number should be deducted from the final result of the item being tested.

*****Remember that touching both ends with your fingers will give inaccurate results - human resistance is in the 2-3 megohm range depending on skin type and moisture on the surface.....this will affect readings.

For a more comprehensive tutorial on Meter Readings 101, PM me here.

 

[Kern Dog]

View attachment 1633795

I did have it wrong. I thought the 2K was the lowest setting.

Here we go. Here is the one that was in the car.

Here is the one from the RE distributor kit.

It is strange that the RE ballast tests different than the print on it.

 

[Kern Dog]

the ballast resistor I use with my Firecore unit is 1 ohm. I imagine Rick's will be 0.8-1 ohm. Does the Rick E distributor have slots with screws to allow for adjustable mechanical advance without welding and grinding to set it?

No. Inside it looks like a stock unit. To use it, I would need to narrow the slots. I run 19 degree initial and 34 total. No detonation in 9.8 to 1. I’d need to shorten the advance curve via modifying or using that FBO plate. I’d need to look into that.

 

[kiwigtx]

I did have it wrong. I thought the 2K was the lowest setting.

Here we go. Here is the one that was in the car. View attachment 1633799

Here is the one from the RE distributor kit.

View attachment 1633800

It is strange that the RE ballast tests different than the print on it.

View attachment 1633802

So the Ballast resistor 'R55' is likely 0.55 ohms.

What reading do you get on touching the leads together - I would typically expect between 0.2 and 0.4 ohms.
Try moving the leads around at the meter end also - loose leads cause issues also.

 

[Kern Dog]

Roger stated that this is to be deducted from the total?

The 1.6 ballast would be a net of 1.3 and the 1.3 would be 1.0.
Okay. It seems odd though the way the new one is marked.
Yes, it runs now but this all has me curious.

 

[kiwigtx]

Roger stated that this is to be deducted from the total?

Correct - otherwise you are adding to the total resistance.

The meter is not part of your car's wiring normally.

 

[kiwigtx]

I still think the issue is at the bulkhead connector.

The slightest movement or change in temperature can make a change and either allow or deny you the ability to start the engine.

BBL...I have chores....I'll catch up again on Page 8.

 

[Kern Dog]

There has been no formal training here, guys!
I’m just a guy that loves these cars and dives in to do things whether I’m good at it or not. ( just like it was with the chicks when I was single)
There are some things that I’m confident doing and advising others with but not with this stuff. I know I must come across as a newbie that is slow to learn what some of you have known for years.
I do appreciate all the efforts others have made to help. Please don’t get pissed if I forgot to thank you. I get lost in the responses sometimes.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

More ideas to consider from an A-body thread with similar symptoms:
Engine dies, but turn the key off and back on it fires right back up
this one is particularly interesting:
chased a problem where the car would start in the morning but sometimes not when already warmed up. (crank fine but no spark)
Ended up being the distributor pigtail loosing contact when it got warm.
Have seen do the opposite also.
Won't start in the morning, but would later in the day after it got warmer out.

 

[Kern Dog]

I still think the issue is at the bulkhead connector.

The slightest movement or change in temperature can make a change and either allow or deny you the ability to start the engine.

I just read a tech topic response in Mopar Action that the terminals need to be cleaned and the pockets filled with some type of grease, even Vaseline. I know some if not all new cars did. Mine have always been dry.

 

[MWbirdLOVER70]

I just read a tech topic response in Mopar Action that the terminals need to be cleaned and the pockets filled with some type of grease, even Vaseline. I know some if not all new cars did. Mine have always been dry.

Dry here too but is the thinking to displace moisture or take up slack or both. The female could be “mushed a bit and the male maybe enlarged to carefully. I know they sell that harness but if you need another I have a good spare for ya just DM me and I’ll get it out to you

 

[Cranky]

BBL...I have chores....I'll catch up again on Page 8.

More ideas to consider from an A-body thread with similar symptoms:
Engine dies, but turn the key off and back on it fires right back up
this one is particularly interesting:
chased a problem where the car would start in the morning but sometimes not when already warmed up. (crank fine but no spark)
Ended up being the distributor pigtail loosing contact when it got warm.
Have seen do the opposite also.
Won't start in the morning, but would later in the day after it got warmer out.

Had a 88 Dodge Shadow (a 2dr too) that did that when it got to operating temp.

I just read a tech topic response in Mopar Action that the terminals need to be cleaned and the pockets filled with some type of grease, even Vaseline. I know some if not all new cars did. Mine have always been dry.

If you live in a real dry climate, you'll probably never have a problem but if you live in my climate.....

 

[Daves69]

some type of grease

?............

 

[Kern Dog]

Humidity isn’t bad here.
Maybe I’ll go ahead and get some of that Permatex Dielectric grease just as a precaution going forward.
See, I’ve been searching for an explanation of what may cause an intermittent issue that “corrects” itself with no intervention. A connection that vibrates and then reconnects is hidden from view and hard to pinpoint.
This may not be IT but cleaning it won’t make matters worse.
Here is the bulkhead as I unplugged the top two plugs. Note the middle section with the melted terminals.....from a fusible link meltdown years ago. The lower terminal has nothing goin g through it anymore.

It looks dusty but not corroded.

I had this stuff…

Okay, that does look better. Off to get that grease…

 

[Daves69]

It wouldn't hurt to clean and tighten all of those bulkhead connections up.

 

[Dennis H]

Time for new Band-Aids. Both thumbs.

 

[Kern Dog]

These were new last night after a shower. They shred threads but stick! Most others just fall off.
I don’t need Band Aids when I’m stuck to the couch! Aging hands of mine develop some ugly cracks when I’m active.

 

[ckessel]

This looks promising. 493Mike posted it awhile back. My 67 has an MSD Distributor in it but I'm thinking of chasing down a stocker, maybe Ricks, to use instead and do this swap. When I had my Challenger, the engine/trans was out while at the paint shop, so I took the time to unwrap the firewall forward harnesses/clean all terminals in tinning fluid[ didn't know any better but it worked]/soldered them all the re-wrapped the units. Anything ugly I found got replaced. That helped immensely with voltage drops on the engine side. Cleaned the bulkhead side as best as I could, then packed with dielectric before assembling. All of those sketchy connections and drops add up by the time it gets to the final destination. When I first learned of this through a guy at a shop who was wise, I had barely 8v at the positive side of the coil. No wonder it was being hard to start.
HEI conversion.
Mopar HEI Conversion

 

[MWbirdLOVER70]

Humidity isn’t bad here.
Maybe I’ll go ahead and get some of that Permatex Dielectric grease just as a precaution going forward.
See, I’ve been searching for an explanation of what may cause an intermittent issue that “corrects” itself with no intervention. A connection that vibrates and then reconnects is hidden from view and hard to pinpoint.
This may not be IT but it won’t make matters worse.
Here is the bulkhead as I unplugged the top two plugs.


View attachment 1633823

It looks dusty but not corroded.

View attachment 1633824

I had this stuff…

View attachment 1633825

View attachment 1633826

Okay, that does look better. Off to get that grease…

Check block two second from left looks pushed in