Car won't turn off.

[bigmanjbmopar]

Where was this wire you found? Is it an original type wire or a new one run by a previous owner? What color?

 

[Glenn's hc]

Make sure it's not an interrupted switch leg, when you turn your key to start the engine some circuits drop out

 

[combatsp]

Make sure it's not an interrupted switch leg, when you turn your key to start the engine some circuits drop out

It was a wire that I originally had hooked up to an electric fan so the fan would run while the key was in the on position even if the engine was not running. I believe it was a white wire that it was hooked to. How do I check if it is an interrupted switch leg?

 

[Shorthorse]

Get rid of the ballast resistor. Terminate the red MSD wire to the brown wire from the ignition switch. Splice the dark blue alternator field wires together. See diagram "B".
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1968/68ChargerA.JPG
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1968/68ChargerB.JPG

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Yes what he said, forget about messing around and just do this.

Get rid of the ballast resistor. Terminate the red MSD wire to the brown wire from the ignition switch. Splice the dark blue alternator field wires together. See diagram "B".
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1968/68ChargerA.JPG
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1968/68ChargerB.JPG

 

[440roadrunner]

I think I found the problem. I have the small red wire coming from the MSD box hooked to the starter relay. It is supposed to be hooked to a "switched 12v". Where do I find a "switched 12v" to hook the wire to?

Good Gawud

Go to MyMopar and download yourself a shop manual, and some wiring diagrams on that site

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31

Service manuals

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=109

Third party, not always complete wiring diagrams. These are sometimes easier to follow I ALWAYS START with the shop manuals, above

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=18

HERE IS HOW Mopar original wiring WORKS so pay the heck attention.

FIRST there is ONLY ONE switched ignition lead coming into the engine bay from the interior. This is "igntion run," Mopar calls it "IGN 1". This originally came through the bulkhead connector and fed various things under the hood depending on the car and the year........

the switch side of the ballast resistor to supply the coil,

the switch side of the second "half" of the ballast (4 pin) to supply the ECU

branched off to supply voltage regulator IGN terminal

branched off to supply alternator field wire (blue) on 70 and later

also fed various smog doo dads, electric choke, idle solenoid (6pak) dist. retard solenoid, and maybe some other things

AGAIN that is THE ONLY switched ignition wire under the hood PERIOD.

========================

PAY ATTENTION.

That wire, the one above the one we were just talking about, normally GOES DEAD during "start."

Originally, the ONLY SOURCE for starting ignition is the coil resistor bypass circuit, traditionally brown, Ma called it IGN2

This came off a dedicated contact on the ignition switch, through the bulkhead, and to the coil + side of the ballast resistor.

THIS WIRE as well as the original "ignition run" BOTH must be jumpered together in order to run something such as MSD.

Normally, you simply jumper all the ballast wires together, and hook the MSD "small red" to the old coil + wire.

=======================================

Side note:

NOTHING should be hooked to the coil + and - terminals EXCEPT the MSD coil wires.

The coil should NOT have a radio supression cap, any longer, and the tach should NOT be hooked to the coi -

- - - Updated - - -

I had to remove the negative battery cable to stop the car from running..

I just noticed this in your OP. This indicates the alternator is PROBABLY NOT charging. On a working alternator, pulling the battery cable off would have just kept right on running!!!! What this probably means is, with the wiring chopping you have been doing, you probably cut loose the original splice feeding the voltage regulator

- - - Updated - - -

Below is a crop out of the shop manual, the engine bay wiring

Look at the coil + wire at top left. J2B-14DBL. This means circuit "J2B" it's a no14 size wire, and it's Dark BLue.

Follow it down to the ballast at bottom the left terminal of the ballast.

NOTICE!!! That there is a second wire coming off that, J3-14-BR. This is your ballast resistor bypass circuit (IGN2) that I mentioned. You have probably cut it loose. Follow it and notice that it goes to "Q" in the connector, which is the ignition section connector coming off the bulkhead. Notice the layout of the bulkhead connector below that.

Now, look at the RIGHT hand terminal of the ballast. Follow it over to the VR, and see a wire coming up off that, J2-16-DBL. THIS IS your "ignition run" switched ignition wire or IGN1. Follow it to the connector notice it is terminal N at the bulkhead connector.

You have probably cut that loose from the VR and it is now not charging.

ALL of the wires originally going to your ballast should be jumpered together, and the old coilk + wire should go to the MSD "small red"

=================================

A SIDE NOTE

If you had simply left things along, and left the old ballast in place, and hooked up the "small red" to your old coil wire, as well as grounded the "big black" and then run the "big red" off to a fused source such as the starter relay, it would have worked just great!!!

 

[Don selleck]

It was a wire that I originally had hooked up to an electric fan so the fan would run while the key was in the on position even if the engine was not running. I believe it was a white wire that it was hooked to. How do I check if it is an interrupted switch leg?

I know this might mean anything but, a friend of mine hooked up an electric fan that ran continuosly with no thermo switch and no relay, well the fan acted like a generator and back fed the system, car would not shut off, installed relay problem went away, simple test unplug electric fan, who knows? might have same issue.

 

[combatsp]

440Roadrunner, So I should hook the three wires in the photo together and get rid of the ballast resistor? Then hook the small red from the MSD to the dark blue J2B-14-DBL?

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Just a reminder, anytime you get a spark when connecting the battery cable it usually means you have a shorted circuit somewhere. Something touching ground or being pinched or the outer insulation is nicked and touching ground etc. 9 ou of 10 times its some splice some one made under the dash or in some cases a bad alternator or regulator. Just an FYI

I have a 1968 Charger 440 I am preparing to sell. I hooked up a new MSD6al2 ignition with MSD distributor. I fired the car up and it ran perfectly. When I turned the key to the off position the car continued to run as if I never turned the key off. I read that there can be bleed back into the system that will cause this. I installed a 4 prong ballast resistor as directed by the instructions and it still will not turn off. I had to remove the negative battery cable to stop the car from running.

I noticed that the battery cables throw sparks when I remove them even if the car is off. Never noticed that before. I checked my wiring job versus the instructions and don't see any problems but still not ruling my screw up out. Could it be the started relay or ignition switch? Thanks.

 

[combatsp]

Good Gawud

Go to MyMopar and download yourself a shop manual, and some wiring diagrams on that site

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31

Service manuals

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=109

Third party, not always complete wiring diagrams. These are sometimes easier to follow I ALWAYS START with the shop manuals, above

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=18

HERE IS HOW Mopar original wiring WORKS so pay the heck attention.

FIRST there is ONLY ONE switched ignition lead coming into the engine bay from the interior. This is "igntion run," Mopar calls it "IGN 1". This originally came through the bulkhead connector and fed various things under the hood depending on the car and the year........

the switch side of the ballast resistor to supply the coil,

the switch side of the second "half" of the ballast (4 pin) to supply the ECU

branched off to supply voltage regulator IGN terminal

branched off to supply alternator field wire (blue) on 70 and later

also fed various smog doo dads, electric choke, idle solenoid (6pak) dist. retard solenoid, and maybe some other things

AGAIN that is THE ONLY switched ignition wire under the hood PERIOD.

========================

PAY ATTENTION.

That wire, the one above the one we were just talking about, normally GOES DEAD during "start."

Originally, the ONLY SOURCE for starting ignition is the coil resistor bypass circuit, traditionally brown, Ma called it IGN2

This came off a dedicated contact on the ignition switch, through the bulkhead, and to the coil + side of the ballast resistor.

THIS WIRE as well as the original "ignition run" BOTH must be jumpered together in order to run something such as MSD.

Normally, you simply jumper all the ballast wires together, and hook the MSD "small red" to the old coil + wire.

=======================================

Side note:

NOTHING should be hooked to the coil + and - terminals EXCEPT the MSD coil wires.

The coil should NOT have a radio supression cap, any longer, and the tach should NOT be hooked to the coi -

- - - Updated - - -



I just noticed this in your OP. This indicates the alternator is PROBABLY NOT charging. On a working alternator, pulling the battery cable off would have just kept right on running!!!! What this probably means is, with the wiring chopping you have been doing, you probably cut loose the original splice feeding the voltage regulator

- - - Updated - - -

Below is a crop out of the shop manual, the engine bay wiring

Look at the coil + wire at top left. J2B-14DBL. This means circuit "J2B" it's a no14 size wire, and it's Dark BLue.

Follow it down to the ballast at bottom the left terminal of the ballast.

NOTICE!!! That there is a second wire coming off that, J3-14-BR. This is your ballast resistor bypass circuit (IGN2) that I mentioned. You have probably cut it loose. Follow it and notice that it goes to "Q" in the connector, which is the ignition section connector coming off the bulkhead. Notice the layout of the bulkhead connector below that.

Now, look at the RIGHT hand terminal of the ballast. Follow it over to the VR, and see a wire coming up off that, J2-16-DBL. THIS IS your "ignition run" switched ignition wire or IGN1. Follow it to the connector notice it is terminal N at the bulkhead connector.

You have probably cut that loose from the VR and it is now not charging.

ALL of the wires originally going to your ballast should be jumpered together, and the old coilk + wire should go to the MSD "small red"

=================================

A SIDE NOTE

If you had simply left things along, and left the old ballast in place, and hooked up the "small red" to your old coil wire, as well as grounded the "big black" and then run the "big red" off to a fused source such as the starter relay, it would have worked just great!!!

I followed your instructions and it paid off. The car works perfectly. Now I just have to clean up the wiring and she's good to go. Thanks a lot guys!

 

[440roadrunner]

Excellent. Time for a drive!!